Mary Lou Lister, 84 years old, is in the terminal stage of cancer and is having severe pain. She is restless and refuses her dose of morphine. Which of the following is an ethical approach to this problem?
a. Discuss with Mary what her feelings are about the pain and the morphine
b. Give Mary her morphine because her request may be related to delirium
c. Call the family to ensure that Mary's choice is on her living will
d. Withhold Mary's morphine because all residents have the right to refuse care
A
Mary's choice to refuse morphine will cause her to have increased pain. Ethically, before making a decision about Mary's care, the nurse needs to assess Mary's reasoning in her choice. Responses B, C, and D are not ethical approaches because they are not based on knowing all of the facts before intervening.
You might also like to view...
During morning rounds, the nurse asks a patient, "How are you today?" The patient responds, "You today, you today, you today!" and mumbles the words. This speech pattern is an example of:
a. Echolalia b. Clanging c. Word salad d. Perseveration
The nurse is mapping the client's abdomen into four quadrants. Which of the following landmarks would the nurse use to perform this assessment? Standard Text: Select all that apply
1. Umbilicus 2. Midclavicular lines 3. Xiphoid process 4. Lower border of the right ribs 5. Iliac crests
A couple is trying to cope with an infertility problem. They want to know what they can do to preserve their emotional equilibrium. The nurse's most appropriate response is
a. "Tell your friends and family so that they can help you." b. "Talk only to other friends who are infertile, because only they can help." c. "Get involved with a support group. I'll give you some names." d. "Start adoption proceedings immediately, because obtaining an infant is very difficult."
Parent education for infant care includes information about when to call the health care provider. From the list below, select the sign(s) that should be reported. (Select all that apply.)
a. Bleeding from the circumcision site b. Absence of breathing for 10 to 15 seconds c. No wet diapers in 12 hours d. Redness and odor from the cord e. Refusal to feed for two consecutive feedings f. One green, watery stool g. Whites of eyes appearing yellow h. One episode of vomiting