Suffering

Question 1

Suffering vs. Pain

Answer 1

• Suffering is NOT the same as pain, but closely related to it
• When pain persists without meaning it becomes suffering
• Occurs when an individual feels voiceless
• Suffering is the Resistance to what is…

Question 2

Total Pain- “key elements of total pain”

Answer 2

• Physical pain
• Mental anguish
• Spiritual Suffering
• Emotional Distress

Question 3

Predictors of suffering

Answer 3

• Regret for past events
• Current marital problems
• Little social support
• Pessimistic attitude

Question 4

The Body and Suffering

Answer 4

• A body experiences pain, a body does NOT suffer
• A Person experiences pain AND suffers
• To acknowledge suffering, you need to acknowledge that a person is involved

Question 5

Suffering as ______ (3 big ones)

Answer 5

• Intensely personal
• Loss of control
• Loss of relationship

Question 6

Things commonly heard from people who are suffering

Answer 6

• What happens at the time of death
• What is it like to die?
• Do you think God is in this room right now?
• This is a hell of a life…
• What was the meaning of my life?
• Why is this happening?
• What did I do to deserve this?
• What do you think about euthanasia?

Question 7

Things caregivers NEED to understand about suffering

Answer 7

• You can’t solve suffering with your mind
• You can’t solve suffering with your hands
• You can’t solve suffering with your heart
• You can’t solve suffering….

Question 8

Common goals of care of with serious illness

Answer 8

• Control pain and other distressing symptoms
• Alleviate psychosocial problems
• Communicate Effectively
• Provide empathetic presence
• Foster realistic hope

Question 9

Alleviating Psychosocial problems

Answer 9

• Utilize entire interdisciplinary team
• Loneliness financial concerns etc… that all contribute to suffering
• Solving these issues will help alleviate the patient’s sense of isolation

Question 10

Fostering Hope

Answer 10

• Essential to quality of life
• Hope changes
• I hope for a cure- I hope people will be honest with me
• I hope my life has meaning

Question 11

Strategies to cultivate hope

Answer 11

• Effectively control pain
• Develop caring relationships
• Set attainable goals involving patient in decisions
• Support spirituality
• Affirm patients worth
• Light-hearted humor when appropriate
• Reminisce

Question 12

The importance of presence

Answer 12

• can have a healing power
• creates deep relationships
• Good way to help understand “meaning” or “purpose”
• All core aspects of suffering are approached JUST BY BEING ABLE TO DO THIS!

Question 13

How to provide empathetic presence

Answer 13

• Atmosphere that encourages questions
• Reduces stress
• Body language
• Listen. Being heard can be the most effective treatment. DON’T DO SOMETHING- JUST SIT THERE!
• Presence and gentle reassuring touch

Question 14

FICA model of Spiritual assessment

Answer 14

F- Faith and belief- Do you have spiritual beliefs that help you cope with stress?
I- Importance- What importance does your belief have in your life?
C- Community- Are you part of a religious or spiritual community?
A- How do your beliefs influence what we do in your care?

Question 15

HOPE model of spiritual assessment

Answer 15

H- sources of hope, meaning, comfort, strength, peace, love and connection
O- Organized religion or community
P- Personal spirituality and practices
E- Effects on medical care and end-of-life issues

Question 16

3 “levels” of spiritual connection

Answer 16

• Connected- drawing effectively on personal beliefs and relationships in a crisis
• Unconnected- Never identified with a religious community or followed any particular belief system
• Disconnected- No active connections with spiritual resources now, but have had in the past

Question 17

Identifying “care gates” opened by the patient

Answer 17

• Awareness of the holy
• Sense of providence
• Sense of faith
• Sense of grace
• Sense of repentance
• Sense of communion
• Sense of vocation

Question 18

What do do with Care gates the patient opens?

Answer 18

• Can indicate strengths to rely on
• can reveal areas that need attention or development for wholeness
• Are touchstones for spiritual care focus and attention initiated by the patient

Question 19

Response to suffering- care giver competencies- why understanding your own suffering helps you

Answer 19

• Ability to maintain boundaries
• Ability to empathize
• Ability to contain own suffering
• Ability to listen well
• Ability to focus and attend to the sufferer’s agenda
• Ability to learn from experience and to see patterns
• Ability to engender a sense of safety and comfort
• Willingness to take calculated risks