ATI LPN
Brunner & Suddarth's Textbook of Medical-Surgical Nursing 14e (Hinkle 2017)
Chapter 16 : End-of-Life Care Questions
Question 1 of 5
A patient has just died following urosepsis that progressed to septic shock. The patients spouse says, I knew this was coming, but I feel so numb and hollow inside. The nurse should know that these statements are characteristic of what?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Uncomplicated grief and mourning are characterized by emotional feelings of sadness, anger, guilt, and numbness; physical sensations, such as hollowness in the stomach and tightness in the chest, weakness, and lack of energy; cognitions that include preoccupation with the loss and a sense of the deceased as still present; and behaviors such as crying, visiting places that are reminders of the deceased, social withdrawal, and restless overactivity. Complicated grief and mourning occur at a prolonged time after the death. The spouses statement does not clearly suggest depression or acceptance.
Question 2 of 5
A 67-year-old woman experienced the death of her husband from a sudden myocardial infarction 5 weeks ago. The nurse recognizes that the woman will be going through the process of mourning for an extended period of time. What processes of mourning will allow the woman to accommodate the loss in a healthy way? Select all that apply.
Correct Answer: B,C,D
Rationale: Six key processes of mourning allow people to accommodate to the loss in a healthy way: 1.) Recognition of the loss 2.) Reaction to the separation, and experiencing and expressing the pain of the loss 3.) Recollection and re-experiencing the deceased, the relationship, and the associated feelings 4.) Relinquishing old attachments to the deceased 5.) Readjustment to adapt to the new world without forgetting the old 6.) Reinvestment Reiterating her anger and renewing her lifelong commitment may be counterproductive to the mourning process.
Question 3 of 5
A nurse has made a referral to a grief support group, knowing that many individuals find these both comforting and beneficial after the death of a loved one. What is the most important accomplishment available by attending a grief support group?
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Although many people complete the work of mourning with the informal support of families and friends, many find that talking with others who have had a similar experience, such as in formal support groups, normalizes the feelings and experiences and provides a framework for learning new skills to cope with the loss and create a new life. The other listed options are incorrect because they indicate the need to hold onto the old life and not move on.
Question 4 of 5
A patients daughter has asked the nurse about helping him end his terrible suffering. The nurse is aware of the ANA Position Statement on Assisted Suicide, which clearly states that nursing participation in assisted suicide is a violation of the Code for Nurses. What does the Position Statement further stress?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The ANA Position Statement further stresses the important role of the nurse in supporting effective symptom management, contributing to the creation of environments for care that honor the patients and familys wishes, as well as identifying their concerns and fears. Discussion of moral implications would normally be beyond the purview of the nurse.
Question 5 of 5
A hospice nurse is caring for a 22-year-old with a terminal diagnosis of leukemia. When updating this patients plan of nursing care, what should the nurse prioritize?
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Hospice care focuses on quality of life, but, by necessity, it usually includes realistic emotional, social, spiritual, and financial preparation for death. Financial advice and actions aimed at post-death interaction would not be appropriate priorities.