Losing a Mother Battling Cancer: Perspectives of an Academic Psychiatric Nurse.

PURPOSE: This paper aimed to share the subjective experiences of an academic psychiatric nurse who lost her mother to terminal cancer and to reveal the impact of this loss on her professional identity and nursing practices.

BACKGROUND

The terminal cancer process affects not only patients but also their family members emotionally. Especially caregiving family members may experience emotional stages similar to the grieving process. Although psychiatric nurses develop emotional resilience through their professional knowledge and skills, they may struggle to balance their professional and personal identities when caring for their relatives. These overlapping roles can deepen the grieving process and directly influence coping mechanisms.

METHODS

This study is a first-person narrative based on my personal experiences as a psychiatric nurse caring for a terminally ill parent.

KEYPOINT: This narrative offers a unique and profound perspective on the personal grief experience shaped by the intersection of caregiving roles.