[Grief among the psychiatric outcare-patients].

Abstract

The aim of the study is to describe the features of bereavement and the life situation among the bereaved psychiatric outcare-patients. The impact of social support on stress and adaption has been indicated in previous studies. Social support of the patients belongs to the nursing care. The possibilities of the family-centered nursing to support the relatives in bereavement will also be discussed. The sample consisted of new patients' in psychiatric outcare (N = 32). The ground of the need to the care was the dead of their relative. The information has been gathered of the care records and it has been analysed by the content analysis. Following contents have been described: The features of the bereavement and the relations to the relatives. The features of the bereavement consisted of following categories depressive behavior, anxiety, hate and fear, self-destructive behavior and feelings of guilt. Relations to the other relatives consisted of following categories: Rejected by the relatives and disappointed in the relationship. The results indicated, that the patients did not receive social support in their daily life. The family-centered nursing will allow the social support also to the relatives after the dead of the patient.