Question 1

A basic task in planning for death is anticipating medical care needs.

Accepted Answer

Anticipating medical care needs is an important part of planning for death, as it allows individuals to make decisions about the type and extent of medical interventions they want to receive, as well as who will make medical decisions on their behalf if they are unable to do so.

Question 2

The case of Terry Schiavo in 2003 demonstrated that indicating in advance,in writing,one's own preferences for life-sustaining treatment has little value.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The case of Terry Schiavo in 2003...

Question 3

American culture amuses itself with unrealistic portrayals of death.

Accepted Answer

It is common for American culture, particularly in movies and television shows, to portray unrealistic or glamorized versions of death. This can desensitize people to the real consequences and impact of death, and promote an unhealthy fascination with violence.

Question 4

The case of Karen Ann Quinlan involved the withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment.

Accepted Answer

Karen Ann Quinlan was a young woman who fell into a coma in 1975 and was kept alive for ten years by artificial means. The case became a landmark in the right-to-die movement, as her parents sought to remove her from the machines that sustained her life. The case resulted in a court ruling allowing the withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment in certain circumstances.

Question 5

Avoidance or denial of death allows individuals to better acknowledge the inevitability of death.

Accepted Answer

Avoidance or denial of death actually hinders individuals from acknowledging the inevitability of death. Accepting and embracing the reality of death can lead to a more meaningful and fulfilling life.

Question 6

Many people seek to avoid any thought or mention of death.

Accepted Answer

This is true. Many people have a fear or discomfort with the concept of death, and may avoid discussing it or even thinking about it altogether.

Question 7

Cancer is the most common diagnosis for hospice patients.

Accepted Answer

Cancer is the most common diagnosis for hospice patients in the United States.

Question 8

Giving terminally ill people a medication that will cause them to peacefully stop breathing is an example of passive euthanasia.

Accepted Answer

Passive euthanasia involves withholding or withdrawing life-sustaining treatments, while giving medication to cause death is considered active euthanasia.

Question 9

A testamentary letter is a document that informs a dying person's survivors of various types of important personal information,such as bank accounts,the location of keys,and the names of people who should be notified of the death.

Accepted Answer

A testamentary letter is a document that provides important personal information to the dying person's survivors.

Question 10

One of the characteristics of brain death can be revealed by a flat tracing on an electroencephalogram.

Accepted Answer

A flat tracing on an electroencephalogram (EEG) indicates that there is no electrical activity in the brain, which is a characteristic of brain death.

Question 11

The practice of withholding treatment that could potentially sustain life is termed active euthanasia.

Accepted Answer

The practice of withholding treatment that could potentially sustain life is termed passive euthanasia. Active euthanasia involves deliberately taking action to end someone's life, such as administering a lethal dose of medication.

Question 12

Children usually gain an accurate understanding of the finality of death between the ages of 5 and 9.

Accepted Answer

According to developmental psychology, children typically gain a more accurate understanding of the finality of death between the ages of 5 and 9.

Question 13

A mature understanding of death eliminates anxiety about it.

Accepted Answer

While a mature understanding of death can help manage or reduce anxiety, it does not necessarily eliminate it entirely. Anxiety about death is a complex phenomenon influenced by personal, cultural, and existential factors.

Question 14

The most definitive determination of death is cessation of respiration and heartbeat.

Accepted Answer

The most definitive determination of death is the irreversible cessation of all brain activity, including the brain stem, as defined by medical and legal standards in many jurisdictions.

Question 15

Palliative care is a form of acute care.

Accepted Answer

Palliative care is not a form of acute care, as it focuses on improving the quality of life for patients with serious illnesses, rather than curing or managing their underlying condition. Acute care, on the other hand, is focused on providing immediate, short-term medical treatment for severe injuries or illnesses.

Question 16

It is not unusual for a child to think of death as something that is reversible.

Accepted Answer

Children often struggle to understand the permanence of death and may see it as something that can be undone or reversed. This is because their cognitive abilities are still developing, and they may have difficulty grasping abstract concepts such as mortality.

Question 17

Individuals who hold a mature understanding of death commonly hold ideas that have no scientific proof.

Accepted Answer

Many individuals have beliefs about death that are rooted in religion, spirituality, or personal philosophy and cannot be scientifically proven. This does not mean that these beliefs are invalid, but they are not based on empirical evidence.

Question 18

Injecting lethal medications into a person who has no chance of recovery is a form of passive euthanasia.

Accepted Answer

Injecting lethal medications into a person is a form of active euthanasia, not passive euthanasia. Passive euthanasia would involve withholding or withdrawing life-sustaining treatments, such as a feeding tube, for a person who is terminally ill or in a vegetative state.

Question 19

Clinical death and cellular death are defined using the same criteria.

Accepted Answer

Clinical death refers to the cessation of blood circulation and breathing, which is reversible for a short period. Cellular death, or biological death, occurs when the body's cells and tissues begin to deteriorate irreversibly, which is a different process and not reversible.

Question 20

One goal of hospice care is to counsel family members after a patient's death.

Accepted Answer

Hospice care often includes bereavement counseling for family members after a patient's death.

Quiz 23: Dying and Death