Author Question: Which of the following is the primary factor in how a hospice nurse makes decisions while giving ... (Read 71 times)

ETearle · **on:** Jul 8, 2018

Which of the following is the primary factor in how a hospice nurse makes decisions while giving care in the client's home, surrounded by the client's family?

a. To allow the patient a comfortable, pain-free death
b. To assure the caregiver and the whole family that they are not hastening the client's death by anything they do to keep the client comfortable
c. To encourage the family to grieve and confront the reality of the client being terminal
d. To prevent a decline in the caregiver's health

made considering the health of the caregivers. Encouragement of the family to grieve and confront the reality of the client being terminal would not be a primary factor in how the nurse makes decisions.

Question 2

A hospice patient is taking rather strong narcotics with good pain control, but today the patient's family tells the nurse that the client does not want to become addicted. Which of the following is the best response by the nurse?

a. But you're dying, what difference will it make if you become addicted?
b. You can try not to take so much so frequently if you are concerned.
c. You may develop tolerance but you can't be addicted when you're using the medication for pain control.
d. You need strong narcotics to control your pain; we want to keep you comfortable.
e. We'll keep you comfortable using some nonnarcotic drugs if that is what you prefer.

deja · **Reply #1 on:** Jul 8, 2018

Answer to Question 1

ANS: D
Although the nurse tries to do everything possible for the client, the caregiver, and the whole family, the nurse must prevent a decline in the caregiver's health. Although the dying patient is the focus of all skilled nursing care, the experienced home care nurse knows that a careful assessment of the caregiver's mental and physical health is important. The spouse, lover, children, friends, and neighbors who have made the commitment to stay until the end need the nurse's time and attention as much as, if not more than, the patient. Although the patient's wishes are important, all decisions regarding care are

Answer to Question 2

ANS: C
The key to successful pain control for the terminally ill is to convince patients to take their medications on a regular basis. Many patients, especially the elderly, are afraid of becoming junkies or druggies and want to delay using pain medication until they get really bad. Many people believe that using these medications signals the end of the line, and they are amazed to learn that patients do well while receiving this drug for months, even years, before death occurs. Almost every family must learn that addiction is not the same as tolerance and that their physicians will not cut off their supply if they take too much.