Depression is a response to loss that is expressed as profound sadness or deep suffering. Acceptance is the ability to overcome grief and accept what's left. In this stage, family members come to terms with the patient's end of life. Often they may gather for a final farewell at the bedside. Generally, families who are able to talk through feelings of grief can come through death of a loved one intact.
Nothing is harder on families than death.
Nurses should be able to differentiate between normal and abnormal bereavement behaviors. Abnormal reactions to death are extreme anger or prolonged depression. The type of relationship lost often influences the reactions of the survivor. For instance, the stronger the attachment between the patient and the bereaved, the more intense the mourning. The first task of mourning is to accept the reality of the loss, but the most frequent and expected response after death is shock, numbness, and disbelief.