Throughout the course of his illness, a patient has denied its seriousness, even though his health professionals have explained prognosis of death very clearly.
Physiologic signs now indicate that he will probably die within a short period of time, but he is still firmly in a state of emotional denial. The patient says to the nurse, Tell my wife to stop hovering and go home. I'm going to be fine. How should the nurse respond?
a. Your physical signs indicate that you will likely not live more than a few more days.
b. You seem very sure that you are not going to die. Please tell me more about what you are feeling.
c. It seems to me you would be feeling some anger and wondering why all this is happening to you.
d. It would be best for your family if you were able to work through this and come to accept the reality of your situation.
Question 2
Which intervention should be included in the plan of care for a patient in the end-stage death process?
a. Encourage the patient to accept as much help as possible.
b. Avoid administering laxatives.
c. Wet the lips and mouth frequently.
d. Administer pain medication on an as-needed basis.
The nurse assists the patient in reflecting on his feelings
Position of patient following seizure
Position of patient to assess jugular vein distention
Assisting a falling patient.
Gingival enlargement in a patient taking nifedipine.
Handbook of Informatics for Nurses and Health Care Professionals, 4/E