Nurses can help family members by educating them on the dying process and the various signs to look for so they can plan their hospital time accordingly (Life Support http://www.deathreference.com/Ke-Ma/Life-Support-System.html).

It is important for nurses to recognize individual beliefs and traditions when it comes to the dying process and respect those in the families they work with. If a family believes a dying family member should have oil placed gently on the forehead the nurse can help the family accept the pending death of their loved one by allowing anything non-intrusive to be done. Whether the nurse agrees with the belief or not is not important, what is important is that the nurse respects the wishes of the family as much as possible while still providing required medical care.

Machines and medications keeping life support viable does not mean the person is still alive. Nursing professionals often have to help...
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