A terminally ill patient wants to stop all foods and fluids but the family is trying to dissuade him from this decision. Which of the following can be done to help the family and patient?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The family is concerned that the patient's decision to stop eating and drinking will hasten his death. The nurse needs to support the patient's decision and talk with the family about the advantages of voluntarily stopping eating and drinking. The nurse should not falsely ensure the family that the patient will continue to receive intravenous fluids since there is not enough information to support this. Nor should the nurse falsely tell the family that the patient will most likely not stop eating and drinking. There is no way of knowing if the patient will start eating again in a day or two.

A Terminally Ill Patient Wants to Stop All Foods and Fluids