Differentiating Denial From Coping Mechanisms in Oncology
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Kelly Grosklags, LICSW, BCBS, FAAGC, FT, talks dealing with grief in oncology, from patients in denial to crying in front of patients.
Welcome to Onc Nurse On Call, the new podcast from Oncology Nursing News, hosted by editors-in-chief Patricia Jakel, MN, RN, AOCN, and Stephanie Desrosiers, DNP, MSN, RN, AOCNS, BMTCN, delivering maximum impact in minimum time.
This week Kelly Grosklags, LICSW, BCD, FAAGC, FT, shares advice for oncology nurses and advanced practice providers (APPs) dealing with grief at the end of patients’ lives. Grosklags, founder of Conversations With Kelly, explained that patients perceived as being in “denial” of their prognosis are often in need of someone to listen to them, or they are perceived that way as a result of a provider requiring closure of the patient.
Patients who seem unable to approach conversations about the end of life may simply need a conversation about why that is the case.
“Sometimes our psyche can’t take in all this information at once, so we have to compartmentalize it,” said Grosklags. “I’ve never met a patient who…looked like they were denying something that didn’t at some point acknowledge it. You have to acknowledge something to deny it.”
Understanding the mindset of these patients, Grosklags said, may take stepping back and recontextualizing the patient’s experiences.
“Is this part of my own agenda as a provider that I need them to be able to talk about this?” asked Grosklags. “Why am I so activated by this patient and their ‘inability’ to [acknowledge their prognosis]?”