Medical-Surgical Nursing:Assessment and Managementof Clinical Problems 9th Edition by Sharon Lewis,Shannon Ruff Dirksen,Margaret McLean Heitkemper,Linda Bucher

Exercise 1

A terminally ill man tells the nurse, "I have never believed there is a God or an afterlife, but now it is too terrible to imagine that I will not exist.Why was I here in the first place?" What does this comment help the nurse recognize about the patient's needs?
A) He is experiencing spiritual distress.
B) This man most likely will not have a peaceful death.
C) He needs to be reassured that his feelings are normal.
D) This patient should be referred to a clergyman for a discussion of his beliefs.