title: An evidence-based approach for supporting parents experiencing chronic sorrow.
abstract: Chronic sorrow is defined as a normal grief response associated with an ongoing living loss that is permanent, progressive, recurring, and cyclic in nature. If a parent experiencing chronic sorrow has a support system that is inadequate or does not receive appropriate intervention for ineffective coping, it is possible that chronic sorrow can become a pathological grief state similar to depression. Nurses must recognize that chronic sorrow is a normal grief response associated with a living loss, learn to appropriately assess chronic sorrow in parents of chronically ill children, and develop ways to support parents experiencing chronic sorrow by applying evidence-based strategies to facilitate effective coping.
authors.forename: Jessica
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gordon
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000451:nursing / Q000523:psychology; D019988:Children with Disabilities / Q000523:psychology; D055317:Evidence-Based Practice / Q000379:methods*; D006117:Grief; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D016294:Models, Nursing; D008960:Models, Psychological; D024802:Nurse's Role / Q000523:psychology; D009730:Nursing Assessment / Q000379:methods; D010290:Parents / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology*; D010371:Pediatric Nursing / Q000379:methods*; D012648:Self Care; D012944:Social Support