The nurse is caring for a patient who has just been told that her ovarian cancer is terminal and that no curative options remain. What would be the priority nursing care for this patient at this time?
A) Provide emotional support to the patient and her family.
B) Implement distraction and relaxation techniques.
C) Offer to inform the patient's family of this diagnosis.
D) Teach the patient about the importance of maintaining a positive attitude.
Ans: A
Feedback:
Emotional support is an integral part of nursing care at this point in the disease progression. It is not normally appropriate for the nurse to inform the family of the patient's diagnosis. It may be inappropriate and simplistic to focus on distraction, relaxation, and positive thinking.
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