A nurse assesses a client who is dying. Which manifestation of a dying client should the nurse assess to determine whether the client is near death?
a. Level of consciousness
b. Respiratory rate
c. Bowel sounds
d. Pain level on a 0-to-10 scale
ANS: B
Although all of these assessments should be performed during the dying process, periods of apnea and Cheyne-Strokes respirations indicate death is near. As peripheral circulation decreases, the client's level of consciousness and bowel sounds decrease, and the client would be unable to provide a numeric number on a pain scale. Even with these other symptoms, the nurse should continue to assess respiratory rate throughout the dying process. As the rate drops significantly and breathing becomes agonal, death is near.
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