scholarly journals High Death Anxiety and Ambiguous Loss: Lessons Learned From Teaching Through the COVID-19 Pandemic

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 78-78
Author(s):  
Raven Weaver ◽  
Cory Bolkan ◽  
Autumn Decker
Keyword(s):  
Death Anxiety ◽  
Global Scale ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Ambiguous Loss ◽  
Written Narratives ◽  
High Death ◽  
Life Issues ◽  
Trauma Informed ◽  
End Of Life Issues ◽  
To Come

Abstract For gerontological educators, topics such as mortality, loss, and end-of-life issues often emerge or are central in their courses. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has raised our awareness of loss and death on a global scale and teaching during the pandemic has raised questions about how educators, communities, or systems of higher education can support students’ learning while simultaneously experiencing losses during intense times of uncertainty. In this mixed-method study of 246 students enrolled in undergraduate thanatology courses, we explored their levels of death anxiety and their experiences with pandemic-related losses. We found that students’ death anxiety increased significantly during the pandemic, in comparison to the years prior (p < .001). We also conducted a content analysis in a subset of students’ written narratives (n = 44) regarding their pandemic experiences. We identified three themes. Participants desired: (a) more flexibility from instructors, no questions asked; (b) more compassion and understanding; and (c) specific, targeted support resources. The voices of students were filtered through the authors’ interpretation as educators to provide several teaching recommendations that support student learning during challenging times. The recommendations align with a trauma-informed approach, given the high rates of death anxiety and ambiguous loss among students, and have immediate implications for educators teaching during the pandemic, and for years to come. Finally, we also advocate for more university and community-based thanatology, and gerontology education offerings in general, to help normalize conversations about death, loss, and bereavement.

End of Life Issues Action: Impact of Education

2006 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jane M. Kurz ◽  
Evelyn R. Hayes
Keyword(s):  
End Of Life ◽  
Death Anxiety ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Death Attitudes ◽  
General Systems ◽  
Life Issues ◽  
Quasi Experimental ◽  
Attitudes And Knowledge ◽  
End Of Life Issues ◽  
And Control

There is an increased momentum to improve nurses' expertise in dealing with end of life issues via a standardized education program, ELNEC. This program has not been evaluated systematically. This quasi-experimental, longitudinal study's goal was to measure ELNEC Program's impact on registered nurses' death anxiety, death attitudes, and knowledge over time. General Systems Theory provided the foundation. Nurses completed surveys prior to and 3 times after the program. Research and control groups were similar. Research group's death anxiety scores increased immediately post- program, decreased 6 months later (t=-2.65, p=.02) and returned to pre-program levels at 12 months. Death attitudes varied. Knowledge levels improved significantly. The control group had steady increases in death anxiety scores. The program was associated with decreased death anxiety. Recommendations include timing evaluations after participants have time for reflection and planning "booster programs" to sustain effects. Future studies should include larger samples, incentives, and research method triangulation.

Ethical and Legal Aspects of AIDS Psychiatry

2010 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mary Ann Cohen ◽  
Sharon M. Batista
Keyword(s):  
End Of Life ◽  
Medical Condition ◽  
Clinical Care ◽  
Legal Aspects ◽  
Hiv And Aids ◽  
Decisional Capacity ◽  
Life Issues ◽  
End Of Life Issues ◽  
Fear Of Rejection ◽  
To Come

From confidentiality, contact notification, and disclosure to decisional capacity, advance directives, and end-of-life care, AIDS presents special bioethical challenges to caregivers. Stigma, fear of rejection, and discrimination play significant roles in the bioethical aspects of the care of persons with HIV and AIDS. As a consequence, caregivers are often faced with bioethical dilemmas and conflicts. While many persons with HIV and AIDS are comfortable with disclosure to partners and family members, some persons with HIV refuse to disclose their serostatus even to sexual partners. Many persons with HIV and AIDS are able, especially with support, to come to safer and healthier decisions about disclosure and about their health and medical care. In this chapter, we will explore these dilemmas and provide suggestions on how to deal with them. Strategies for dealing with ethical dilemmas, determining decisional capacity, addressing end-of-life issues, and maintaining confidentiality in the care of persons with HIV and AIDS are also presented. To begin a discussion of ethics as applied to clinical care, it is important to define the terms used in this context. The definitions of the terms used in this chapter are based not only on formal definitions as published in bioethics texts and articles but also their use in common medical practice. Table 13.1 provides definitions of some of the bioethics terms that are relevant to this discussion. Within the doctor–patient relationship, physicians are expected to understand and relate to their patients as their own primary decision-makers. Patients are presumed to be autonomous and to have decisional capacity. However, at times, decisional capacity can be called into question, such as when a medical condition impairs the patient’s capacity to understand the illness or results in impaired judgment. Since autonomy is such a protected right, multiple criteria must be fulfilled in order to substitute another person’s judgment for that of the patient in cases where the patient is unable to make an appropriate decision for him- or herself. This assessment is called an assessment for capacity and is specific for each decision—a separate assessment must be performed for each decision to be made if the patient’s decision-making ability is under question.

Talking and Working with Dying Patients

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa Humphrey
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Palliative Care ◽  
Hospice Care ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Good Death ◽  
Dying Patients ◽  
Personal Experiences ◽  
Life Issues ◽  
End Of Life Issues

This article reflects on the lessons about grief and dying acquired by a palliative care and hospice physician over the course of her training and career. The article describes how she views, engages, and incorporates grief into her work as a health-care provider based on her personal experiences and lessons learned from mentors, patients, and families. It describes ways to better understand the types of loss one can personally experience and need to “tag your baggage” as a way of loss experiences before patient discussions. The article then emphasizes the importance of managing one’s expectations when working with a patient and/or family facing end-of-life issues, citing a pervasive concept in palliative and hospice care known as the “good death.” Finally, it discusses the role of communication and supportive skills in dealing with dying patients and their families, along with debriefing and self-care.

End-of-Life Issues for People Who Use AAC

2005 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 15-19 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melanie Fried-Oken ◽  
Lisa Bardach
Keyword(s):  
End Of Life ◽  
Life Issues ◽  
End Of Life Issues
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