You are the nurse in a pediatric ICU caring for a child dying of sickle cell anemia. The mother has been unable to eat or sleep and can talk only about her pending loss and the guilt she feels about the child's pain and suffering
This is the second child this mother has lost to sickle cell disease. What intervention has the highest priority?
A) Allowing the patient to express her feelings without judging her
B) Helping the patient to understand the phases of the grieving process
C) Reassuring the patient that the child's death is not her fault
D) Arranging for genetic counseling to inform the patient of her chances of having another child with the disease
Ans: A
Feedback: Listening to the patient express her feelings openly without judging her is the highest priority. The nurse should not impose her own values on the patient. The nurse should also help the patient to understand the grieving process and use all the support systems that are available to assist her in coping with this situation. Genetic counseling may be appropriate at a later time.
You might also like to view...
Before inserting a nasogastric tube, the nurse should measure from the:
a. tip of the nose to the earlobe to the xiphoid process. b. bridge of the nose to the xiphoid process. c. nose to the top of the ear to the stomach. d. clavicular notch to the stomach.
A patient presents to the walk-in clinic complaining of vomiting and burning in their mid-epigastria. The nurse knows that to confirm peptic ulcer disease, the physician is likely to order a diagnostic test to detect the presence of what?
A) Infection with Helicobacter pylori B) Excessive stomach acid secretion C) Gastric irritation caused by NSAIDs D) Over-consumption of spicy foods
The nurse applying heat to an injured hip of a patient is careful not to leave the heat on longer than:
1. 15 minutes. 2. 20 minutes. 3. 30 minutes. 4. 1 hour.
The nurse transcribing orders should clarify the order of:
1. potassium chloride, 80 mEq in 1000 mL D5W in 24 hours. 2. potassium chloride, 40 mEq IV in 10 mL D5W IV push. 3. potassium chloride, 50 mEq in 500 mL D5W in 4 hours. 4. potassium chloride, 80 mEq in 1000 mL D5W in 12 hours.