Deck 25: The Experience of Loss, death, and Grief

Question 1

After the anticipated demise of a chronically ill patient,the unit nurse is found crying in the staff lounge.What would be the best response to her crying?

A)"It is normal to feel this way.Give yourself some time to mourn."
B)"Your other patients still need you,so hurry back to them."
C)"You're being a bad role model to the unit's nursing students."
D)"Why don't you take a sedative to cope?"

Answer 1

"It is normal to feel this way.Give yourself some time to mourn."

Question 2

A correctional facility nurse is called to the scene of death of an inmate under suspicious circumstances.The correction officer wants to move the body to the funeral home quickly because he is not comfortable with death.The inmate's body will need to be transported where?

A)Coroner's office for an autopsy.
B)Police department for an investigation.
C)Directly to the inmate's family.
D)Warden for inspection.

Answer 2

Coroner's office for an autopsy.

Question 3

"I know it seems strange,but I feel guilty being pregnant after the death of my son last year," said a woman during her routine obstetrical examination.The nurse spends extra time with this woman,helping her to better bond with her unborn child.This demonstrates which nursing technique?

A)Facilitating mourning.
B)Providing curative therapy.
C)Promoting spirituality.
D)Eradicating grief.

Answer 3

Facilitating mourning.

Question 4

A family is grieving after learning of a family member's accidental death.The transplant coordinator requests to talk with the family about possible organ and tissue donation.The nurse recognizes which of the following?

A)All religions allow for organ donation.
B)Life support must be removed before organ and tissue retrieval occurs.
C)The best time for organ and tissue donation is immediately after the autopsy.
D)The transplant coordinator will need a private place to talk with the family.

Question 5

A patient with cancer asks the nurse when he or she will be able to access palliative care.On the basis of the knowledge about palliative care,what will the nurse's response be?

A)It is available only for patients who have a terminal illness.
B)It can help patients achieve optimal pain management.
C)It is offered when patients have less than 6 to 12 more months to live.
D)It is available if indicated in an advance directive.

Question 6

A couple is informed that their fetus's condition is incompatible with life after birth.Nurses can best help the couple with their end-of-life decision making by offering them which of the following?

A)An advance directive to complete.
B)Brief discussion and funeral guidance.
C)Time and careful explanations.
D)Instructions on how to proceed.

Question 7

Three of the nurse's patients have died during the past 2 days.Which approach is most appropriate to manage the nurse's sadness?

A)Telling the next patients why the nurse is sad.
B)Talking with a colleague or writing in a journal.
C)Exercising vigorously rather than sleeping.
D)Avoiding friends until the nurse feels better.

Question 8

A severely depressed patient cannot state any positive attributes to his or her life.The nurse patiently sits with this patient and assists the patient to identify several activities the patient would actually look forward to in life.The nurse is helping the patient to demonstrate which spiritual concept?

A)Time management.
B)Hope.
C)Charity.
D)Faith.

Question 9

Validation of a dying person's life would be demonstrated by which nursing action?

A)Taking pictures of visitors.
B)Calling the organ donation coordinator.
C)Listening to family stories about the person.
D)Providing quiet visiting time.

Question 10

A terminally ill patient is experiencing constipation secondary to pain medication.What is the best way for the nurse to improve the patient's constipation problem?

A)Massage the patient's abdomen.
B)Contact the provider to discontinue pain medication.
C)Administer enemas twice daily for 7 days.
D)Use a stimulant laxative and increase fluid intake.

Question 11

The father has recently begun to attend his children's school functions since the death of his wife.This would best be described as which task in the Worden's grief tasks model?

A)Task I.
B)Task II.
C)Task III.
D)Task IV.

Question 12

The nurse is discussing future treatments with a patient who has a terminal illness.The nurse notes that the patient has not been eating and responds to the nurse's information by stating,"What does it matter?" What is the most appropriate nursing diagnosis for this patient?

A)Social isolation.
B)Hopelessness.
C)Denial.
D)Powerlessness.

Question 13

The newly graduated nurse is assigned to his or her first dying patient.How can the nurse best prepare to care for this patient?

A)Completing a course dealing with death and dying.
B)Controlling his or her own emotions about death.
C)Drawing on the experience of the death of a loved one.
D)Developing an understanding of his or her own feelings about death.

Question 14

A nurse encounters a family whose adult child died last year.The parents are talking about the upcoming anniversary of their child's death.The nurse spends time with them discussing their child's life and death.The nurse's action best demonstrates which nursing principle?

A)Pain management technique.
B)Facilitating normal mourning.
C)Grief evaluation.
D)Palliative care.

Question 15

A woman is called into her supervisor's office regarding her deteriorating work performance since the loss of her husband 2 years ago.The woman begins sobbing and saying that she is "falling apart" at home as well.The woman is escorted to the nurse's office,where the nurse recognizes the woman's symptoms as which of the following?

A)Normal grief.
B)Complicated grief.
C)Disenfranchised grief.
D)Perceived grief.

Question 16

A man is hospitalized after surgery in which both lower extremities were amputated because of injuries sustained during military service.The nurse should recognize his need to grieve for what type of loss?

A)Maturational loss.
B)Situational loss.
C)Perceived loss.
D)Uncomplicated loss.

Question 17

When teaching a group of older persons about cultural beliefs and death,the nurse indicates which of the following?

A)The ethical decisions surrounding a patient's death should be based on hospital policy and not culture.
B)Maintaining rituals and practices allows a sense of acceptance of the dying process.
C)The nurse must decide which cultural practices will be incorporated in care of the dying.
D)Regardless of culture,following hospital practices will help focus patient and family on the dying process.

Question 18

The palliative team's primary obligation to a patient in severe pain includes which of the following?

A)Supporting the patient's nurse in her grief.
B)Providing post-mortem care for the patient.
C)Teaching the patient the stages of grief.
D)Enhancing the patient's quality of life.

Question 19

An identified outcome for the family of the patient with a terminal illness is that family members will be able to provide psychological support to the dying patient.To help the family achieve this outcome,the nurse will develop a teaching plan that will include teaching about which of the following?

A)Bathing techniques.
B)Application of oxygen devices.
C)Recognition of the patient's needs and fears.
D)Hospice care.

Question 20

Family members gather in the emergency department after learning that a family member was involved in a motor vehicle accident.After learning of the family member's unexpected death,the surviving family members begin to cry and scream in despair.The nurse recognizes this as which stage of Bowlby's attachment theory?

A)Numbing.
B)Disorganization and despair.
C)Bargaining.
D)Yearning and searching.

Question 21

Mrs.Harrison's father died a week ago.Mr.Harrison is experiencing headaches and fatigue,and keeps shouting at his wife to turn down the television,although he has not done so in the past.Mrs.Harrison is having trouble sleeping and has no appetite.How should the nurse interpret these assessment findings as the basis for a follow-up assessment?

A)Mrs.Harrison is grieving and Mr.Harrison is angry.
B)Mrs.Harrison is ill and Mr.Harrison is grieving.
C)Both Mr.and Mrs.Harrison likely are in denial.
D)Both Mr.and Mrs.Harrison likely are grieving.

Question 22

The nurse is preparing to assist the patient in the end stage of her life.The patient is showing signs of fatigue.What should the nurse do to provide comfort for this patient?

A)Spend more time with the patient.
B)Limit the use of analgesics.
C)Provide larger meals with more seasoning.
D)Determine valued activities,and schedule rest periods.

Question 23

During a follow-up visit,a woman is describing new onset of marital discord with her terminally ill spouse.Using the Kübler-Ross behavioural theory,the nurse recognizes that the spouse is in which stage of grief?

A)Denial.
B)Bargaining.
C)Anger.
D)Depression.