Psychosocial Aspects of Death

Duration: 39

Genre: Drama | Educational

Year Published: 1971

Creator: Indiana U Audio-Visual Center

Format: 16mm

Color: B&W

Sound: sound

Description: Presents a leukemia patient, his wife, and a nursing student facing a patient's death for the first time. Indicates that the patient continually looked to the future and his unborn child, even though his disease was terminal. Emphasizes how the nurse must conceal her emotions and help the family prepare for and receive death., This program presents a dramatization in which a man and his wife are suddenly confronted with the psychosocial aspects of dying. This objective is achieved with the aid of a young couple, nurses, doctors and scenes from the hospital. In part I of this presentation a leukemic patient, Johnny Wilson, is admitted to the hospital for "routine tests" for a chest cold. He renews the acquaintance of the nurse who was assigned to him on a previous admission. He discusses his current home situation and is upset because his pregnant wife must work while he remains at home. They are living with her parents and he wants to provide her and the expected baby with a home of their own. During a visit with his wife, they and the nurse discuss the possibilities of a part-time job and their plans for the future. He recalls the death of a friend in Viet Nam and states that he hopes he can face death "like a man". In part II of this presentation the patient suffers a cardiac arrest and dies. His wife and mother-in-law are comforted by the nurse who helps the wife express her anger, hostility and fear. The nurse expresses doubts about permitting the family to view his body but is reassured by an older nurse that many times it helps them to accept the situation. The nurse stays with the wife during this time and reassures her that her husband did not suffer. The wife expresses the feeling that "we should have been allowed to say goodbye."

Complete Record: Presents a leukemia patient, his wife, and a nursing student facing a patient's death for the first time. Indicates that the patient continually looked to the future and his unborn child, even though his disease was terminal. Emphasizes how the nurse must conceal her emotions and help the family prepare for and receive death., NOTE: Two (or more) records have been merged together to create this data.