A 58-yr-old woman who was recently diagnosed with esophageal cancer tells the nurse,"I do not feel ready to die yet." Which response by the nurse is most appropriate?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

This response is open ended and will encourage the patient to further discuss feelings of anxiety or sadness about the diagnosis. Patients with esophageal cancer have a low survival rate,so the response "You may have quite a few years still left to live" is misleading. The response beginning,"Thinking about dying" indicates that the nurse is not open to discussing the patient's fears of dying. The response beginning,"It is important that you be realistic" discourages the patient from feeling hopeful,which is important to patients with any life-threatening diagnosis.

A 58-Yr-Old Woman Who Was Recently Diagnosed with Esophageal Cancer