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A CASE OF A LIFE SUDDENLY LOST

H. Kirubakaran*, Dr S. Arul Prasad, Dr. S. John Kaviarasu

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Introduction

For many persons, dealing with the ordeal and imminent admission to an intensive care unit (ICU) and palliative care environment is outside the bounds of their everyday life experience. Nevertheless, it presents a crisis, mainly when the probable consequence of the admission is the death of a person. Therefore, social work intervention aims at helping the family adjust to the traumatic event by providing short-term, intense support, with both a practical and therapeutic focus that is holistic and client-responsive (McCormick, 2011).

 

As a medical and psychiatric social worker, the researcher shares the family's journey to help them make sense of the loud, frantic, and intricate setting confronting them as they encounter ICU and palliative care. The researcher tries to bring peace to the pandemonium, be supple and inspired, and the researcher often undertakes an array of responsibilities. Families of patients in ICU often experience fear, anger, helplessness, shame and are often astounded by anguish. The cognitive reactions observed by staff caring for patients and their families include confusion, disorientation, and search for meaning (Briere & Scott, 2006). Families are at more risk of multifaceted troubled responses when death follows a traumatic event, particularly involving a loved one who was also a productive member of the family.