A patient recently diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer tells a nurse, "I am looking forward to seeing my daughter graduate from college in 2 years." What stage of grief should the nurse recognize this as according to Elizabeth Kübler-Ross?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The patient is in the denial stage of grief, as indicated by their optimistic statement about the future despite a terminal diagnosis, which shows an inability or unwillingness to accept the reality of their condition. This is a common initial reaction to devastating news according to the Kübler-Ross model.

A Patient Recently Diagnosed with Inoperable Lung Cancer Tells a Nurse