The nurse is preparing to assist the patient at the end stage of her life. To provide comfort for the patient in response to anticipated symptom development, the nurse plans to:

Question

a. decrease the patient's fluid intake.
b. limit the use of pain medication.
c. provide larger meals with more seasoning.
d. determine patient wishes and select appropriate therapies.

Answer 1

D
Have the patient identify what she wants to accomplish, and use strategies to conserve energy for meeting those goals. This provides the patient with a sense of well-being and purpose to meet important personal goals. Decreasing the patient's fluid intake may make the terminally ill patient more prone to dehydration and constipation. The nurse should take measures to help maintain oral intake, such as administering antiemetics, applying topical analgesics to oral lesions, and offering ice chips. The use of analgesics should not be limited. Controlling the terminally ill patient's level of pain is a primary concern in promoting comfort. Nausea, vomiting, and anorexia may increase the terminally ill patient's likelihood of inadequate nutrition. The nurse should serve smaller portions and bland foods, which may be more palatable.