An elderly patient tells the nurse that he never really thought about what kind of care he would want if he couldn't make the decisions himself, since he knows that his children would be able to make these decisions for him. Which of the following responses should the nurse give this patient?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Having a patient's desires and last wishes known often helps family members make hard decisions. The nurse should respond that making the patient's wishes known would make it easier for his children. The other statements are not necessarily true and the nurse should not agree that the patient leave the decision-making up to the children.

An Elderly Patient Tells the Nurse That He Never Really