A terminally ill patient tells the nurse, Life has been good. I am proud of being self-educated. I overcame adversity with willpower. I always gave my best and expected things to turn out well. I intend to die as I lived: optimistically.
The nurse planning care for this patient recognizes a critical need to:
a. provide aggressive pain and symptom management.
b. help the patient reassess and explore existing conflicts.
c. assist the patient to focus on the meaning in life and death.
d. support the patient's use of personal resources to meet challenges.
Question 2
A family asks the nurse, What can we say when our terminally ill family member mentions death is coming soon? Which response could the nurse suggest?
a. We think you will be around for a long time.
b. We don't want you to give up trying to get well.
c. We don't think we're ready to talk about this yet.
d. We feel so sad when we think of life without you.
The Tree of Life
Nurse examining and measuring hematuria sample from client with a UTI
Patient teaching: heart assessment
Gossip and ridicule increase the status insecurity of this time of life.
The energy cycle of life
Simplified view of retrovirus life cycle