Answer to Question 1
ANS: 3
A dying client's family is better prepared to provide psychological support if the nurse discusses with them ways to support the dying person and listen to needs and fears. Demonstration of bathing techniques may help the family meet the dying client's physical needs, not in providing psychological support. Application of oxygen devices may help the family provide physical needs for the client, not in providing psychological support for the client. Information on when to con-tact the hospice nurse is important knowledge for the family to have and may help them feel they are being supported in caring for the dying client. However, contact information does not help the family provide psychological support to the dying client.
Answer to Question 2
ANS: 4
The benefit of anticipatory grief is that it allows time for the process of grief (i.e., to say good-bye and complete life affairs). Anticipatory grief allows time to grieve in private, to discuss the anticipated loss with others, and to let go of the loved one. Anticipatory grief can help a person progress to a healthier emotional state of acceptance and dealing with loss. It is not most beneficial for grieving to take place only in private. It is important for grief to be acknowledged by others, and to be able to receive the support of others in the grieving process. Anticipatory grieving can be discussed with others in most circumstances. However, there may be times when anticipatory grief is disenfranchised grief as well, meaning it cannot be openly acknowledged, socially sanctioned, or publicly shared, such as a partner dying of AIDS. The benefit of anticipa-tory grieving is not so much that it can be discussed in most circumstances, as this discussion can also occur with normal grief when the actual loss has occurred. Anticipatory grief is the process of disengaging or letting go that occurs before an actual loss or death has occurred. The benefit is not the separation of the ill client from the family as much as it is the process of being able to say good-bye and to put life affairs in order, and as a result, it can help a client or family to pro-gress to a higher emotional state.