title: Don't just do something, stand there: responding to unrelieved patient suffering.
abstract: Nurses are taught a variety of interventions to relieve patient suffering. They are often more comfortable with patient suffering that is physical in nature rather than psychological, existential, and spiritual. Remaining present for patients and families whose suffering cannot be easily relieved is particularly challenging. This article describes how an expert nurse responded to unrelieved suffering and offers insight into ways of being present for patients and families.
authors.affiliation: Henry P. Becton School of Nursing and Allied Health, Fairleigh Dickinson University, Teaneck, NJ 07666, USA. dettmore@fdu.edu
authors.forename: Diane
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dettmore
authors.forename: Louise Carmen
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Gabriele
mesh_terms: D003379:Countertransference; D003674:Defense Mechanisms; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009723:Nurse-Patient Relations; D010146:Pain / Q000451:nursing* / Q000523:psychology; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000451:nursing / Q000523:psychology; D011368:Professional-Family Relations; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000451:nursing* / Q000523:psychology; D013406:Suicide, Attempted; D013727:Terminal Care / Q000523:psychology; D016312:Treatment Refusal / Q000523:psychology