The nurse is working with a client on an inpatient hospice unit. Which of the following actions should the nurse take in order to maintain the client's sense of self-worth during the end of life?
a. Leaving the client alone to deal with final affairs
b. Calling on the client's spiritual advisor to take over care
c. Spending time with the client and allowing him or her to share life experiences
d. Having a grief counsellor visit
C
Taking time to let the client share his or her life experiences, particularly what has been mean-ingful, enables the nurse to know the client better. Knowing the client then facilitates choice of therapies that promote client decision making and autonomy. Planning regular visits also helps the client maintain a sense of self-worth, because it demonstrates that he or she is worthy of the nurse's time and attention.
The client should not be left alone to feel abandoned or isolated.
The nurses can help the client meet spiritual needs by facilitating connections to a spiritual prac-tice or community and supporting the expression of culturally held beliefs. The client's spiritual advisor also may be called on, but is not the only source of spiritual support. The nurse who turns care over to the spiritual advisor is not promoting the client's sense of self-worth, as it may imply the client is not worthy of the nurse's time or attention.
A grief counsellor may be requested to visit if the client is experiencing complicated grief. Hav-ing a grief counsellor visit may be less helpful than spending time with the client, to help maintain a client's sense of self-worth.
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