The patient with Alzheimer's wakes up at 2:00 AM moaning and frightened and begs that her husband's coffin be removed from her room. The nurse should:

a. turn light on and say, "There is no coffin here, Mrs. Smith. This is the dresser."
b. leave the light off and shine a flashlight on the dresser and say, "See! No coffin!"
c. turn the light on, assist patient to the bathroom, and say, "This is your dresser."
d. leave the light off and say, "You are in your room, Mrs. Smith."


C
Turning the light on helps reorient the patient. Distraction of going to the bathroom and identi-fying the dresser assist with reorientation after a frightening illusion. The other options would lead to greater confusion.

Nursing

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