Grief in the Context of HIV: Recommendations for Practice

Grief is a universal human response to loss. While the symptoms of grief are distressing and uncomfortable, they usually diminish over time without therapy. For persons grieving an HIV-related death, however, a variety of unique factors may interfere with the healthy resolution of symptoms. When the grief process becomes complicated, a person may experience serious alterations in physical health and/or disruptions in daily functioning. To assess grief, nurses need to apply interpersonal skills and therapeutic communication techniques in a compassionate manner; currently, no one screening instrument is optimal for evaluating grief in the clinical setting. The person experiencing grief or complicated grief may be referred for support services or counseling, pharmacologic interventions, or cognitive behavioral therapy. This report summarizes evidence from the literature and clinical practice to support recommendations for the practice of nurses caring for persons with HIV-associated grief; recommended strategies are illustrated through an exemplar case study.