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Coping with Death for Nurses and Caregivers

Coping with death is something we have to learn to do . . .

When you join the caring professions, whether as a nurse or a doctor, a paramedic, or a police officer, you are going to have to accept that you will come across death in your line of work.

Your roles are some of the most rewarding in the world, and you will gain immense satisfaction working in the caring professions. But dealing with death is something that we have to learn to do. It is not easy, but by supporting each other, we can learn to deal with it and stay positive.

Dark clouds for coping with death before the hope of sunrise

The emotional highs and lows of coping with life and death

There are many emotional highs and lows in our jobs. When someone recovers or is rescued from a dangerous position, you will feel on top of the world. Other days, you will have some terrible lows when someone dies or is badly injured. You will have to cope with many grieving relatives and people in shock. It is never easy.

You will find also yourselves grieving from time to time, and many of the pages on this site will be helpful for you in learning how to deal with grief and the emotions of grief, so do explore some of the pages in those sections of the site.   

Advice for those in the caring professions

The pages in this section are written primarily with nurses and carers in mind, since that reflects my own experience, but they will be of use to anyone who is facing the death of someone, whether someone they know or a stranger in the course of their daily work. If you are a young person, just starting out in the caring professions, then much of the information in this site will be of use, not only in coping with death yourself, but also in how to help families and other carers in their grief.

I have prepared some pages of advice for nurses working on the wards, including the challenges of the children’s wards, and carers looking after patients in nursing homes or hospices.

Even if you are not in the caring professions, but you have someone in hospital or in a nursing home, feel free to read all of these pages, as they will help you to understand what is happening, and it will all feel far less frightening. Never be afraid to ask questions, however daft they may seem. It is a difficult time for all concerned and everyone needs to pull together and be there for each other.


Coping with death in the nursing, caring and other related professions.

Dealing with death on children’s wards

Help parents cope with the death of a baby

Signs of approaching death

Things to be done in the event of a death

Elizabeth Kubler-Ross - On Death and Dying


I wish you all strength and compassion in your journey through life and death. 

If you are coping with Alzheimer's disease you might find our book helpful.  Written by the author of this website, Elizabeth Postle, it has a lot of practical information about caring, as well as emotional support to help with the grief and stress of caring.  Click on the book to learn more. 

A Healing Hug for Alzheimer's Caregivers - bookClick here to see contents


Where to get help: 

Have You Considered One-on-One Online Grief Counseling? 

Get Expert and Effective Help in the Comfort of Your Own Home

The following information about online counseling is sponsored by 'Betterhelp' but all the opinions are our own. To be upfront, we do receive a commission when you sign up with 'Betterhelp', but we have total faith in their expertise and would never recommend something we didn't completely approve.  

Do you feel alone and sad with no support and no idea how to move forward?  It can be tough when you are stuck in grief to find the motivation to get the most out of your precious life. 

Online counseling can help by giving you that support so you don't feel so alone. You can have someone to talk to anytime you like, a kind and understanding person who will help you to find meaning in life again, to treasure the memories of your loved one without being overwhelmed and to enjoy your activities, family and friends again.

Woman Crying. Get Started with Online CounsellingClick here to receive 20% off your first month. Exclusive to GriefandSympathy readers.

Sales from our pages result in a small commission to us which helps us to continue our work supporting the grieving.  

Hypnosis for Grief - 10 Ways It Can Help You

Try a gentle hypnotherapy track to relax the mind. Learn how self-hypnosis can help you cope with grief at any time of the day or night.  

Read more about it here. 

For Remembrance: 

Sales from our pages result in a small commission to us which helps us to continue our work supporting the grieving.  

Heart Shaped Sterling Silver Pendant for Cremation Ashes, Engraved Forever Loved

Memorial Jewelry to Honour a Loved One

Check out our lovely range of memorial jewelry for any lost loved one.  Pendants, necklaces, rings or bracelets, we have them all in all kinds of styles.  Choose for yourself or buy as a sympathy gift. 

Click here to see our selection

Create an Online Memorial Website

Honour your loved one with their own memorial website.  Share photos, videos, memories and more with your family and friends in a permanent online website.  Free for basic plan with no ads. 

Find out more here. 

For USA Residents: 

Please help our colleagues at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, USA by joining in their research study:



SUPPORT FOR BEREAVED PARENTS

Parent Support Study Logo

Losing a child to cancer is devastating, and there is a critical need to develop effective supports.

A federally-funded study in the United States (US) evaluating different types of support for bereaved parents is currently seeking participants. Parents residing in the US may be eligible if they lost a child diagnosed with cancer at least 6 months ago and live in one of the following states: NY, NJ, PA, CT, FL, or TN (other eligible states are being added, please complete the survey to check with us).

To find out if you may be eligible, please click here, visit our website at bereavedparentsupportstudy.com, or email us at parentstudy@mskcc.org.

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To Survive Your Grief And Get On With Life"


Our free downloadable and printable document "The 10 Most Important Things You Can Do To Survive Your Grief And Get On With Life" will help you to be positive day to day.  

The 10 points are laid out like a poem on two pretty pages which you can pin on your fridge door to help you every day! 

All you have to do to receive this free document is fill in your email address below. 

You will also receive our newsletter which we send out from time to time with our newest comforting and helpful information.   You can unsubscribe any time you like, and don't worry, your email address is totally safe with us. 

NEW BONUS - Also receive a copy of our short eBook - '99 Ways to Spot a Great Grief Counselor'.  Available for instant download as soon as you sign up. Never waste money on poor counseling again! 

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