A patient with a chronic illness asks the nurse if the new medication is going to cure his disease. Which of the following is the nurse's best response?
1. "It will help you be more comfortable. I don't think it's going to cure the disease.".
2. "Of course it's going to cure the disease.".
3. "If you believe it will cure the disease, then it will.".
4. "I don't think it's going to help or hurt at this time.".
"It will help you be more comfortable. I don't think it's going to cure the disease.".
Rationale: In palliative care, the nurse needs to be honest with the patient and therefore explain that the medication will help with comfort, but will not cure. The nurse should not approach care as curative, as this could rob the patient of time and closure at the end of life. The nurse has no way of knowing the effect of the medication as far as helping or hurting the patient's illness.
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