A patient newly diagnosed with pancreatic cancer says, My father ...

[tichca]

A patient newly diagnosed with pancreatic cancer says, My father also died of pancreatic cancer. I took care of him during his illness. I can't go through that. Select the highest priority nursing diagnosis.
 
  a. Anticipatory grieving
  b. Ineffective coping
  c. Ineffective denial
  d. Risk for suicide

Question 2

Which finding indicates the successful completion of an individual's grieving process?
 
  a. For 2 years, a person has kept the deceased spouse's belongings in their usual places.
  b. After 15 months, a widowed person realistically remembers both the pleasures and disappointments of the relationship with the spouse.
  c. Three years after the death, a person talks about the spouse as if the spouse were still alive and weeps when others mention the spouse's name.
  d. Eighteen months after the spouse's death, a person says, I never cry or have feelings of loss even though we were always very close.

[chjcharjto14]

Answer to Question 1

ANS: D
The patient's statement has a subtle message of suicide. Suicide is a risk for people with major losses, including terminal disease. The nurse will need to monitor the suicide risk vigilantly. The other diagnoses may apply but are lower priority.

Answer to Question 2

ANS: B
The work of grieving is over when the bereaved can remember the individual realistically and acknowledge both the pleasure and disappointments associated with the loved one. The individual is then free to enter into new relationships and activities. The other options suggest unresolved grief.

[tichca]

Excellent

[kthug]

Thanks for the timely response, appreciate it