A male patient, newly diagnosed with prostate cancer, tells the nurse that his wife died a few weeks ago and he does not know how he is going to deal with this new health problem. Which of the following can the nurse do to help this patient?
1. Talk with the patient about his support systems and what he can do to maintain stability.
2. Suggest that the patient talk with a spiritual counselor.
3. Listen quietly while the patient talks.
4. Tell the patient that it seems overwhelming now, but everything is going to work out all right.
Talk with the patient about his support systems and what he can do to maintain stability.
Rationale: The best approach would be for the nurse to talk with the patient about his support systems and what he can do to maintain autonomy and stability. The patient is experiencing two losses: the loss of his wife and the perceived loss of his health. The patient is still working through the stages of grief and mourning for his wife when he is confronted with a new crisis. Suggesting that the patient talk with a spiritual counselor may or not be appropriate, but it does not immediately address the patient's concerns. The nurse needs to do more than listen quietly while the patient talks. The nurse should not minimize the patient's losses by saying that although it is overwhelming now; everything is going to work out all right. The nurse has no way of knowing if this will occur.
You might also like to view...
Which of the following goals would the nurse most likely write for a client receiving palliative care?
1. Client will verbalize one or more reasons to comply with treatment regimen. 2. Client will eat at least 75% of all meals and drink 6-8 glasses of water per day. 3. Client or family will say staff is fulfilling client's wishes as much as possible. 4. Client will verbalize understanding of addiction and prevention of addiction.
The patient has begun complaining about nausea and vomiting. What would the nurse assess to determine the need for therapy?
A) How well the patient is eating B) Color, amount, and frequency of vomiting episodes C) Number of times patient's family complains of vomiting episodes D) Number of times patient's family reports the patient is nauseated
In which of the following parts of the nephron is weak acids and weak bases secreted?
A. The distal convoluted tubule B. The nephron loop C. The collecting ducts D. The proximal convoluted tubule
After an assessment the nurse is concerned that a patient is experiencing cor pulmonale associated with right-heart failure. What finding led the nurse to make this clinical decision? Select all that apply.
A. Nasal drainage B. Distended neck veins C. Cyanotic nail beds D. Ankle edema E. Ruddy cheeks