Reflections on Practice: Self-care is a MUST for health care providers caring for the dying

<p class="p1">Death is a daily experience for us, as palliative care providers. Roughly, half of the patients we care for die of complications from their cancer and the remainder die from non-malignant events such as strokes or progressive disease such as dementia. There is no escapi...

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Main Authors: Kalliopi Stilos, Lesia Wynnychuk
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Pappin Communications 2021-05-01
Series:Canadian Oncology Nursing Journal
Online Access:https://canadianoncologynursingjournal.com/index.php/conj/article/view/1168
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author Kalliopi Stilos
Lesia Wynnychuk
author_facet Kalliopi Stilos
Lesia Wynnychuk
author_sort Kalliopi Stilos
collection DOAJ
description <p class="p1">Death is a daily experience for us, as palliative care providers. Roughly, half of the patients we care for die of complications from their cancer and the remainder die from non-malignant events such as strokes or progressive disease such as dementia. There is no escaping death. Some of our encounters with these patients are brief (Stilos, Lilien et al., 2016), as they die within 72 hours of admission. Often we develop therapeutic relationships with patients and we learn about their relationships, their family and loved ones, their jobs-and many times their dream jobs-their hobbies, plans, hopes and dreams for their future. As they approach the end of their lives, they experience loss, and their loved ones begin to grieve. Their losses during our time together become our losses. And when we witness their death, we too experience grief. The recurring loss of life is something we sit with day after day.</p>
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spelling doaj.art-a861959ece9842c7baf254d2485921402024-02-08T16:29:01ZengPappin CommunicationsCanadian Oncology Nursing Journal1181-912X2368-80762021-05-01312239241993Reflections on Practice: Self-care is a MUST for health care providers caring for the dyingKalliopi StilosLesia Wynnychuk<p class="p1">Death is a daily experience for us, as palliative care providers. Roughly, half of the patients we care for die of complications from their cancer and the remainder die from non-malignant events such as strokes or progressive disease such as dementia. There is no escaping death. Some of our encounters with these patients are brief (Stilos, Lilien et al., 2016), as they die within 72 hours of admission. Often we develop therapeutic relationships with patients and we learn about their relationships, their family and loved ones, their jobs-and many times their dream jobs-their hobbies, plans, hopes and dreams for their future. As they approach the end of their lives, they experience loss, and their loved ones begin to grieve. Their losses during our time together become our losses. And when we witness their death, we too experience grief. The recurring loss of life is something we sit with day after day.</p>https://canadianoncologynursingjournal.com/index.php/conj/article/view/1168
spellingShingle Kalliopi Stilos
Lesia Wynnychuk
Reflections on Practice: Self-care is a MUST for health care providers caring for the dying
Canadian Oncology Nursing Journal
title Reflections on Practice: Self-care is a MUST for health care providers caring for the dying
title_full Reflections on Practice: Self-care is a MUST for health care providers caring for the dying
title_fullStr Reflections on Practice: Self-care is a MUST for health care providers caring for the dying
title_full_unstemmed Reflections on Practice: Self-care is a MUST for health care providers caring for the dying
title_short Reflections on Practice: Self-care is a MUST for health care providers caring for the dying
title_sort reflections on practice self care is a must for health care providers caring for the dying
url https://canadianoncologynursingjournal.com/index.php/conj/article/view/1168
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