EAQ Grief/Loss - Palliation

A hospice client who has severe pain asks for another dose of oxycodone. The nurse's primary consideration when responding to the client's request is to do what?

Help reduce the client's pain immediately

The significant other of a client who is dying of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) tells the nurse, "Life is not worth living without my partner." What should the nurse plan to do to help the significant other cope with the impending death?

Involve the significant other's support system

A client is diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer and is not expected to live much longer. Which of the following health-care organizations is most concerned with the type of facility this client might seek?

National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization

A client in a debilitated state is admitted for palliative treatment of cancer of the liver. Which objective information collected by the nurse is most helpful for future monitoring of the client's condition?

Present weight

A client with a terminal disease is admitted to hospice care. The nurse coordinator assigns a primary team. Which member of the hospice team evaluates the client's response to treatment and provides emotional support to the client and his caregiver?

Primary nurse

What is a function of a bereavement support group?

Providing families who have lost loved ones a chance to communicate and share their feelings

A nurse is providing education to a community group about hospice. The nurse clarifies that the primary goal of hospice is help clients do what?

Remain comfortable until the end of life

A family has decided to withhold extraordinary care for a newborn with severe abnormalities. How should the nurse interpret this decision?

The newborn is being allowed to die.

What is the most important factor relative to a therapeutic nurse-client relationship when a nurse is caring for a client who is terminally ill?

The nurse's personal feelings about terminal illness

A client who is dying jokes about the situation even though the client is becoming sicker and weaker. Which is the most therapeutic response by the nurse?

"Does it help to joke about your illness?"

Which is a requirement for admission to a hospice care facility?

Client's informed consent

Which statement about palliative care is correct, according to the World Health Organization (WHO)?

It helps clients and families deal with potentially fatal illnesses and quality-of-life issues.

A registered nurse is educating a licensed practical nurse (LPN) about providing palliative care to a dying child. Which statement by the LPN indicates a need for further teaching?

"I'll advise the parents not to discuss death with the child."

A nurse is providing palliative care to a client with lung cancer. Which therapies does the nurse identify that will most likely provide palliation of distressing symptoms of the disease? Select all that apply.

*Chemotherapy *Oxygen therapy *Radiation therapy

Which statements are true regarding hospice care? Select all that apply.

*Hospice team members can include clergy and other spiritual leaders. *Hospice team members provide comfort measures, medicines, and therapy to the client. *Hospice care can be regulated by home health agencies and community-based organizations.

What are the benefits of palliative care? Select all that apply.

*It allows clients to make more informed choices. *It allows clients to achieve better alleviation of symptoms. *It allows clients to have more opportunity to work on issues of life closure.

What responsibilities belong to the nurse coordinator on an interdisciplinary hospice team? Select all that apply.

*Manages the care of clients *Assigns the primary hospice team *Admits clients into the hospice program

A client with terminal bone cancer is to receive 2 mg of hydromorphone intravenously (IV) every 4 hours as needed for severe breakthrough pain. The vial contains 10 mg/mL. When the client reports severe pain, how much solution of hydromorphone should the nurse administer? Record your answer using one decimal place. Include a leading zero if applicable. _____ mL

0.4

A spouse spends most of the day with a client who is receiving chemotherapy for inoperable cancer. The spouse asks the nurse, "What can I do to help?" How can the nurse support the client's spouse?

Assist the couple to maintain open communication.

The nurse is having difficulty understanding a client's decision to have hospice care rather than an extensive surgical procedure. Which ethical principle does the client's behavior illustrate?

Autonomy

An older widow with lung cancer is now in the terminal stage of her illness. Her family is puzzled by her mood changes and apparent anger at them. The nurse explains to the family that the client is doing what?

Coping with her impending death

According to Kübler-Ross, during which stage of grieving are individuals with serious health problems most likely to seek other medical opinions?

Denial

A nurse involves a dying client's family members in the provision of palliative care to the client. Which action by the nurse in the provision of care needs correction?

Encouraging family members to avoid conducting conversations about family activities or problems

A client with advanced bone cancer is experiencing cachexia. The nurse discusses the nutritional aspect of palliative care with the family. What is the importance of the nurse explaining these nutritional interventions to the family?

Enhances the quality of the client's life

A client, who is in a late stage of pancreatic cancer, intellectually understands the terminal nature of the illness. What are behaviors that indicate the client is emotionally accepting of impending death?

The client is revising the client's will and planning a visit to a friend