prepU ch 16 End-of-Life Care

Which of the following is an appropriate method of assessing the dying client?

Focus on the client's basic needs.

Which action by the nurse demonstrates an effective method to assess the client and the client's family's ability to cope with end-of-life interventions?

Remaining silent, allowing the client and family to respond after asking a question related to end-of-life care

While providing care to a terminally ill client, the client asks, "Am I dying?" Which response by the nurse would be most appropriate?

"Tell me some more about what is on your mind."

The family of a terminally ill client tells the nurse that the client has been breathing irregularly and, at times, it appears that he is not breathing at all. The client's daughter states, "He moans when he breathes. Is he in pain?" Which response by the nurse would be most appropriate?

"The moaning you hear is from air moving over very relaxed vocal cords."

A dying patient wants to talk to the nurse. The patient states, "I know I'm dying, aren't I?" What would an appropriate nursing response be?

"This must be very difficult for you."

Which intervention should a nurse perform during the grieving period when caring for a dying client?

Avoiding criticizing or giving advice

A nurse is conducting a spiritual assessment of a terminally ill client using the four step FICA process and asks the question, "What gives your life meaning?" The nurse is assessing which of the following?

Faith and belief

A terminally ill patient in pain asks the nurse to administer enough pain medication to end the suffering forever. What is the best response by the nurse?

"I will notify the physician that the current dose of medication is not relieving your pain."

A mother of three young children has been diagnosed with stage III breast cancer and is distraught. Which statement best communicates a spirit of hopefulness to this client?

"Let's take this one day at a time; remember you have your daughter's dance recital next month."

The nurse is caring for a pediatric client who is dying. The best way to provide care and comfort to dying clients and their families is to first do which of the following?

Explore own feelings on mortality and death and dying.

Which term is used to describe the personal feelings that accompany an anticipated or actual loss?

Grief

A 36-year-old mother of three was recently diagnosed with a chronic illness. The nurse prepared information for the patient on how to manage her illness. To help her cope with the shock and resentment that she was experiencing, the nurse gave her facts about her illness with honesty and empathy. Which of the following are the best comments that the nurse can include when talking to the patient about chronic illness? Select all that apply.

It results in residual disability due to non-reversible pathology. It is characterized by a progressive decline in normal physiologic function. It can be associated with exacerbations and remissions.

A client is declared to have a terminal illness. What intervention will a nurse perform related to the final decision of a dying client?

Respect the client's and family members' choices.

A nurse has been providing in-home hospice care to an older adult client with lung cancer for more than six months. The family asks the nurse how long the Medicare hospice services will continue. What is the nurse's best response?

The Medicare hospice services can continue as long as the physician and hospice director agree about the client's terminal condition.

During unplanned, spontaneous moments, dying clients usually discuss fears or concerns that nurses should not ignore or rush. What is the nurse's best response in such situations?

The nurse can communicate interest and a willingness to listen by sitting down, leaning forward in the client's direction, and making direct eye contact.

A family of a dying client reports that their loved one is experiencing more shortness of breath. Which nursing intervention is most appropriate at this time?

Call the health care provider to obtain an oxygen order

A nurse is providing care to a client experiencing symptoms associated with terminal illness. Which of the following would be most appropriate to use as a means for managing the client's symptoms?

Client's goals

Medicare and Medicaid hospice benefit criteria allow clients with a life expectancy of 6 months or less to be admitted to hospice. However, the median length of stay in a hospice program is just 21.3 days. Which reason explains the underuse of hospice care services?

Clients and families view palliative care as giving up

The physician is attending to a 72-year-old client with a malignant brain tumor. Family members report that the client rarely sleeps and frequently reports seeing things that are not real. Which intervention is an appropriate request for the hospice nurse to suggest to the physician?

Add haloperidol to the client's treatment plan.

The nurse identifies a nursing diagnosis of Imbalanced nutrition: less than body requirements for a terminally ill client who is near the end of life. Which of the following would the nurse expect to include in the client's plan of care?

Advise for the family to have fruit juices readily available at the client's bedside.

A nurse is providing hospice care in Portland, Oregon to a client with terminal liver cancer. The client confides to the nurse, "I'm in agony all the time. I want this to be over now—please help me." Which interventions should the nurse implement? Select all that apply.

Control the client's pain with prescribed medication. Advise the client's physician of the client's condition. Encourage the client to explain his or her wishes.

Which is also known as a proxy directive?

Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care

The family members of a dying client are finding it difficult to verbalize their feelings for and show tenderness to the client. Which intervention should a nurse perform in such a situation?

Encourage the family members to express their feelings and listen to them in their frank communication

The family members of a dying client are finding it difficult to verbalize their feelings for and show tenderness to the client. Which nursing interventions should a nurse perform in such a situation?

Encourage the family members to express their feelings and listen to them in their frank communication.

A client with a brain tumor recently stopped radiation and chemotherapy for treatment of the cancer. The client recently reported dry mouth. Which intervention by the hospice nurse demonstrates that the nurse understands treatment measures for dry mouth?

Provide gentle oral care after each meal.

The nurse is caring for a client who just learned of his terminal diagnosis. After the physician leaves, the nurse remains to answer further questions so that the client can make an informed decision about further treatment. By providing all available information, the nurse is promoting which ethical principle?

The principle of autonomy

A type of comprehensive care for clients whose disease is not responsive to cure is...

palliative care

A nurse is evaluating a client with a terminal illness. What should the nurse report so that the health care team can consider alternative nutritional approaches and fluid administration routes for the client at the end of life?

weight loss and inadequate food intake

All nurses care for clients who are grieving. It is important for the nurse to understand the grieving process for which reason?

Allows for the nurse to facilitate the grieving process

A client states, "My children still need me. Why did I get cancer? I am only 30." This client is exhibiting which stage according to Kübler-Ross?

Anger

The nurse is caring for a 90-year-old male who has never completed an advanced directive. The man has a son but has not seen him in several years. A neighbor has assisted him with meals and housecleaning for many years. The neighbor states that the client expressed only wanting to have comfort measures. The estranged son wants his father to be treated aggressively. Which would be the nurse's initial step?

Assess the client's ability to state wishes.

In spite of administering the prescribed pain medication, a dying client is still experiencing dyspnea due to fear and anxiety. Which nursing intervention should the nurse use to potentiate the effects of pain medication and help reduce the dyspnea?

Use imagery, humor, and progressive relaxation