A patient diagnosed with cancer tells the nurse that he is "sorry" he completed an advance directive because he would have done it differently today. Which of the following responses can the nurse give to this patient?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Advance directives should be used as a springboard to discussion about patients' wishes. It is possible that patients' wishes may have changed if several years have passed since advance directives were prepared. Wishes may also change as the patient's condition changes. Some patients believe that preparation of an advance directive means that further discussion is inappropriate or unnecessary, so the existence of such documentation may be perceived by the patient as a barrier to communication. The nurse should inform the patient that the advance directive can be changed. She should not question what the patient would do differently, nor falsely inform him that the advance directive may or may not be followed. The patient may or may not have a long time before having to worry about the advance directive.

A Patient Diagnosed with Cancer Tells the Nurse That He