Healthy Coping Techniques to Keep You Focused After a Patient Passes Patients can become like family to a lot of people in the medical field. Unfortunately, since you are working with sick people, it is common to have to say goodbye to them. You are going to deal with this frequently, so it is best to have some techniques to get your through it. It can be hard when a patient passes away. Not only does it take a toll on you emotionally, it can have an effect on your job. This issue is rarely spoken about in a free manner. However, it is important to address the grief you are feeling. By doing so, you are making it easier to move on from the pain. You are acknowledging it; you are facing it head on and learning how to manage immediately instead of sinking into a cycle of grief. Related: Overcoming IV Anxiety 
Self Care
One of the biggest things about grieving for anything is that you need to take care of yourself. Keep up with your daily routine and take measures to assess and improve your mental health. Your physical health is just as important. Regardless of what kind of lifestyle you live, it is critical to keep taking care of yourself first and foremost. Ensure that you have a support system that understands what you are going through. You can also make sure that you are prepared for the next time this is going to happen. Facing the reality can make things a lot easier in the end. You might also want to attend the funeral, and that is okay based on how close you were with the family. This can help you to get closure and do that one last thing to help them by being there for their family. 
Counseling
Attending counseling can be extremely beneficial to your mental state. There are bereavement counselors that are experts and have a distinct separation from the workplace itself. Coping and being provided with burnout strategies are just two of the reasons nurses prefer to talk with them instead of a coworker. Related: How To Become A Top Nurse In Your Field Helping you to be able to communicate effectively about death and dying is a goal of a bereavement counselor. The training necessary to cope is important and without it, you may end up not being able to handle it in the long run. 
Debriefing
Whether it be with the other staff or with the family of the deceased, it is important to take a moment and go over everything that happened. There might be a time set aside for this debriefing at work, and it will consist of ways to relieve existential tension. With the family, allowing time to be spent with the patient's friends and family. This can be formal or include stories about the individual, whatever suits the situation the best.
Regardless of what the circumstances are, losing a patient is hard. There are many things that you can do to keep yourself focused while coping. Tending to your emotional wounds is first and foremost. Also, making sure that you are getting any help that you need along with your coworkers. You are going to want to know how to stay focused while grieving because it is a fact of nursing and a fact of life. However, you should not take away from your grieving time for anything. Related: Skilled Nurse Practitioner Danise Ann Petticrew, FNP, to Be Published in the Worldwide Leaders in Healthcare Please follow us on Facebook, Linkedin, Pinterest and Twitter