Isn t it hard to deal with death?
Death is a certainty of life. And sure, it can be tough. But many nurses specialize in areas in which death is a part of their jobs; e.g., hospice nurses, intensive care nurses, nurses who work with the elderly, and trauma nurses whose patients are too badly injured to be saved. One of the most important roles for these nurses is helping family members and friends deal with the death of a loved one. Providing compassion for the families, having a thorough knowledge of the dying process, and helping people understand what the patient is going through all are part of what nurses do. In many cases, nurses are the first to know that a patient is nearing death. Much of their work in the last days involves minimizing the patients pain and suffering and communicating to the patients loved ones. Indeed, many nurses feel that it is a privilege to be part of such a profound experience. Of course, not all nursing jobs involve this part of the cycle of life. Some nurses bring lives into the world.
