Bereavement visiting: older people's and nurses' experiences

Br J Community Nurs. 2001 Dec;6(12):629-35. doi: 10.12968/bjcn.2001.6.12.9448.

Abstract

A review of the relevant literature failed to find material specifically related to the older person's experience of bereavement visiting by community nurses. Since the community nurse's role includes actively visiting older people who have been bereaved it was considered worthwhile to explore the service from the perspectives of both older bereaved people and community nurses. The study has addressed a number of issues in the wider literature and highlighted certain models of care which this literature advocates. This ongoing study uses qualitative and survey approaches; a sample of 20 community nurses and 10 older people were interviewed and the interviews were then analysed in order to identify core concepts. The core concepts from older people were found to be relationships and their perceptions of self. The core concepts from the viewpoint of community nurses were relationships, practice and organizational aspects of care.

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Community Health Nursing*
  • Female
  • Hospice Care*
  • Humans
  • Life Change Events*
  • Male