Deck 14: How Can We Help Caregiving and Death Education

Question 1

Manion (2005) reported that many physicians and nurses patrolling the borderline between life and death:

A) find their professions rewarding due to strong emotional stamina
B) would recommend professions in health care to their own children
C) would not recommend professions in health care to their own children
D) find their professions to be beneficial to patients but emotionally challenging.

Answer 1

C

Question 2

According to Maslach and Leiter, which of the following is NOT one of the three defining dimensions of burnout?

A) Exhaustion
B) Cynicism
C) Fatigue
D) Reduced efficiency

Answer 2

C

Question 3

Coined by Figley (1995), another term for burnout in the health-care profession is:

A) compassion fatigue
B) care-giving fatigue
C) cynical fatigue
D) death-salient fatigue.

Answer 3

A

Question 4

An obvious sign of burnout is:

A) self-criticism
B) increased secretion of stress hormones
C) metabolic dysfunction
D) both a and b.

Question 5

A less obvious sign of burnout is:

A) reduced immune function
B) elevated blood pressure
C) tension headaches
D) both a and b.

Question 6

Vachon's study of 600 health-care professionals who worked in death-salient situations found that the primary source of stress leading to burnout stemmed from:

A) uncooperative patients
B) the work environment and related occupational roles
C) patients' family members.
D) working with depressed patients.

Question 7

In the study of hospice staff conducted by Addington-Hall and Karlsen (2005), about half of the staff was considering leaving because of:

A) the increasing numbers of AIDS patients
B) patients' family members
C) uncooperative patients
D) lack of support from management.

Question 8

All of the following are linked to a higher risk for death in a hospital EXCEPT:

A) a substantial number of nurses leave hospital service due to burnout
B) larger caseloads and longer shifts result in more errors
C) limited training for nurses in how to deliver quality care for terminal patients
D) nurses have less down time to reflect on and recover from stressful experiences.

Question 9

Which of the following is NOT one of Kastenbaum's recommendations to health-care workers for how to protect themselves from burnout?

A) Reduce the amount of decision-making on the job.
B) Develop a peer network to support caregivers.
C) Learn relaxation techniques that can be used on the job.
D) Learn relaxation techniques that can be used after work.

Question 10

When working with dying patients, it is important that the worker be conscious of:

A) transference
B) countertransference
C) overuse of empathy
D) both a and b.

Question 11

The term "death education" did not become a recognizable part of American society until:

A) during the 1960s
B) when the writings of Freud were made popular
C) the end of World War I
D) the death of Princess Diana.

Question 12

"Books of the dead" refers to:

A) ancient documents from Tibet and dynastic Egypt that offered detailed accounts of what becomes of the soul after death and what preparations should be made for a safe passage
B) the book of Job in the Bible, which focuses on ways to approach one's impending death
C) a collection of short stories about authors who have written about death
D) none of the above.

Question 13

The teachings of the Old Testament and The Arabian Nights:

A) present a way to avoid death
B) are totally consistent in tone and message
C) contrast the power of God with the powerlessness of people
D) are focused on the delights of heaven, ignoring hell.

Question 14

Which of the following statements is NOT a salient feature of the mainstream Christian "death education" lesson?

A) Death is punishment for Adam and Eve's disobedience.
B) Death is a blessed release from the sufferings of life.
C) Death is a test that separates the worthy from the unworthy.
D) Death of the body is followed by reincarnation in another body.

Question 15

During medieval times, death was part of almost every person's experience from childhood onward, and therefore not hidden from view because:

A) infections often proved fatal to children and adults
B) epidemics periodically decimated the population
C) people were commonly exposed to human and animal corpses
D) all of the above.

Question 16

The danse macabre theme was a depiction of:

A) a rapid and furious dance in which Death led the living away
B) death as a skeletal figure who laid claim to all mortal souls and solemnly led the living away
C) a marathon dance of endurance in which people continued until at least one person collapsed
D) a ritual conducted in medieval courts to demonstrate the special relationship to Death that was the privilege of the elite

Question 17

The Ars moriendi tradition was concerned mostly with the art of:

A) living as long as possible
B) living without having to think about death
C) dying well
D) communicating with the dead.

Question 18

Which of the following themes was NOT supported in the Ars moriendi guidebooks?

A) How a person dies is a significant matter.
B) Some deaths are better than others.
C) A good death stems from ignoring death.
D) A good death is a real achievement.

Question 19

ADEC refers to the:

A) Association for Death Education and Counseling
B) Association of Death Exploration and Certification
C) Alliance for Death Evolution and Cultivation
D) none of the above.

Question 20

When taking a course on death, students should look for an instructor that:

A) has the emotional, intellectual, and professional expertise to foster a "deep learning" experience that may involve interactions and activities that extend beyond the classroom
B) relies heavily on the personal experiences that students bring to the course and the students' own intrapersonal learning
C) focuses on the development of students' clinical skills through classroom-based activities
D) all of the above.

Question 21

The person who at one point in time had a dominant role in the mediation of our relationship to death was the:

A) physician
B) head of household
C) priest
D) psychologist.

Question 22

Which of the following was NOT one of Kalish's concerns regarding death educators?

A) Priests and physicians will push all death education and counseling needs onto these new professionals
B) Role conflict with other professionals
C) Promising too much to clients or students
D) Setting themselves up for failure

Question 23

According to Corr and Corr (2003), an example of an adult education program that serves as a community-based resource for bereavement guidance and counseling is:

A) Person-to-Person
B) Widow-to-Widow
C) Thanatologist-to-Person
D) Counseling-to-Widow.

Question 24

SimMan was designed to:

A) accommodate female anatomy
B) make different breath sounds
C) make vocal responses regarding pain
D) all of the above.

Question 25

According to Beatrice Kastenbaum, a pioneer in the hospice movement, nursing students worry about:

A) having a patient die
B) if they will be responsible for the patient's death
C) what they will feel if a patient's death occurs
D) all of the above.

Question 26

Which of the following is NOT a finding from a survey conducted of thanatologists?

A) Thinking about death has made it difficult for them to enjoy life.
B) They have developed a greater appreciation of life.
C) Their own death anxiety has decreased.
D) They are no more nor less anxious about death than the general population.

Question 27

Many counselors believe that one of the most important goals to set with clients who have had death come into their lives is to help them:

A) learn how to use therapeutic touch therapy
B) draw on their own inner strengths
C) find ways to access financial resources for medical expenses
D) draw on family members and significant others for strength.

Question 28

According to Kastenbaum, individuals who provide counseling or psychotherapy in death-related situations would be wise to select an approach that is in harmony with:

A) the interests of the client
B) the caregiver's own personality
C) the most current professional strategies being utilized in the caregiver's field
D) grief therapy.

Question 29

One way Kastenbaum suggested we all can help each other with death-related grief is to:

A) swallow our pride and seek professional help
B) not feel obligated to leave everything to experts
C) use euphemisms for words such as dead and death
D) find some time for being alone.

Question 30

Iserson suggests that when notifying survivors about a sudden, unexpected loss, it is best to:

A) avoid using any of the "D" words in order to reduce their anxiety
B) avoid using any of the "D" words to reduce our own anxiety
C) use one of the "D" words to arouse their valuable anger response
D) use one of the "D" words for clear and accurate communication.

Question 31

Kastenbaum and Schneider (1991) found that most hospice staff and volunteers called upon prayer to give them strength in their work with terminal patients.

Question 32

Researchers have found that the risk of death increases by 7 percent for surgical patients for each additional patient over four in a nurse's workload.

Question 33

Post-traumatic stress disorder is the same as burnout syndrome.

Question 34

Researchers have found that the risk of death increases 31 percent in hospitals where nurses have eight as compared to four patients each.

Question 35

Transference and countertransference are likely to develop during interactions between professional caregivers and life-threatened and terminally ill clients.

Question 36

According to the "books of the dead", in dynastic Egypt 42 gods sit in judgment as the dead person confesses faults and misdeeds, and then the person's soul is measured against a feather. One goes on to paradise if one's soul weighs the same as a feather.

Question 37

Ancient death education often had much to do with how one should prepare for travel in the afterlife.

Question 38

In the danse macabre, Death was depicted as an angel.

Question 39

The image of death as the danse macabre was introduced during medieval times.

Question 40

One of the striking messages of the danse macabre is that, even in the stratified society, Death saw everyone the same.

Question 41

Published in 1651, the capstone of the Ars moriendi tradition was the Rules and Exercises in Holy Dying, which encouraged a daily refresher course on life and death.

Question 42

The Association for Death Education and Counseling was founded at the end of World War I.

Question 43

Only certified educators and counselors can currently teach a course on death.

Question 44

Death educators can sometimes come into conflict with priests and physicians, who may perceive them as venturing onto their "turf."

Question 45

According to Kalish (1981), death educators and counselors need to be mindful of creating unrealistic expectations for students or clients who enroll in death education courses.

Question 46

SimMan is a computer program used to certify physicians in death education via the Internet.

Question 47

SimMan allows students such as nurses to practice "code" situations in a simulation scenario that helps reduce some of the unknowns about what is going on and how to act.

Question 48

Neimeyer (1983) found that the medical residents who personally felt most strongly threatened by death were also the ones who were the most willing to confront death when caring for a dying patient.

Question 49

A study of thanatologists revealed that the level of anxiety they experience in their work is actually greater than that of the general population.

Question 50

The story of Binta Jua was about a woman whose prosocial action is a useful reminder of the human care and compassion that also occurs in death-related situations.

Question 51

What is the definition of the terms

-Ars moriendi

Question 52

What is the definition of the terms

-Artificial hydration

Question 53

What is the definition of the terms

-Burnout

Question 54

What is the definition of the terms

-Compassion fatigue

Question 55

What is the definition of the terms

-Danse macabre

Question 56

What is the definition of the terms

-Death threat index

Question 57

What is the definition of the terms

-Prosocial

Question 58

List five of the eleven most obvious signs of burnout listed in the text.

Question 59

Identify and discuss five factors that contribute to placing health-care providers at even greater risk for burnout when they are responsible for the care of life-threatened or dying patients.

Question 60

Discuss three ways in which health-care professionals can do more to protect themselves from burnout.

Question 61

Discuss what is meant by the terms transference and countertransference and explain how these dynamics can influence the nature of the relationship between the professional care provider and the dying patient or client.

Question 62

Explain the differences between the messages and emotional tone conveyed about death in relation to the following works: The Arabian Nights, the Old Testament, and the New Testament.

Question 63

List five beliefs found in the Ars moriendi guidebooks.

Question 64

Compare and contrast the principles of the Ars moriendi movement with current perspectives associated with modern death education.

Question 65

Discuss the primary goal for most counselors who are seeking to assist others in their grief work and why, and briefly explain four strategies than might be used to accomplish it.

Question 66

Compare and contrast the perspective conveyed by Sigmund Freud through the archetype of Binti Jua about how to approach peril and loss with the views of Abraham Maslow.

Question 67

Drawing from the text, summarize three ways that all of us can help in caring for dying people. Next, select the aspect that you think most people would have the most difficulty doing and explain why.