A 78-year-old patient who is dying of colon cancer with metastases to the liver is refusing to eat or drink. He is alert and oriented, and states that he has no desire to eat, which is causing the family great distress. In order to best address the client
a. Explain the family's concern to the client
b. Educate the family that this is normal behavior in this situation
c. Contact the physician for an order for enteral feeding.
d. Contact the dietitian for feeding supplements.
ANS: B
The nurse should educate the family that this is a normal part of the dying process and should not pressure the client, contact the physician for enteral feeding, or contact the dietitian for feeding supplements. Because the patient is expressing a desire not to eat, his wishes should be honored. Essential to the facilitation of self-esteem is the premise that the values of the patient must figure significantly in the decisions that will affect the course of dying. When-ever possible, the nurse can have the person decide when to groom, eat, wake, sleep, and so on.
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