Question 1

In the United States and other industrialized countries,where do most adults die?

Accepted Answer

Studies show that in industrialized countries, the majority of adults pass away in hospitals rather than at home or in hospice care. This is due to a variety of factors including greater access to medical technology and the preference of many individuals and families for aggressive medical interventions at the end of life. While some individuals do choose hospice care or dying at home, for many the reality is a hospital setting. Nursing homes are also a common location for end-of-life care, but they are not the most common location of death for adults in industrialized countries.

Question 2

Which type of care focuses on relieving a terminally ill patient's pain,rather than curing the illness?

Accepted Answer

Palliative care focuses on relieving the pain and symptoms of a terminally ill patient, with the goal of improving their quality of life, rather than curing the illness itself. This type of care can include pain management, emotional and spiritual support, and assistance with daily activities. Merciful care and euthanasia are not recognized medical terms, and hospital care can encompass a range of treatments beyond just palliative care.

Question 3

Which of the following is an approach to caring for the terminally ill that focuses on individual and family control over the process of dying?

Accepted Answer

Hospice care is an approach to caring for the terminally ill that focuses on individual and family control over the process of dying. The goal of hospice care is to provide comfort, relieve pain, and improve the quality of life for the patient and their family during the end of life. DNR (Do Not Resuscitate) is a medical order that directs health care providers not to perform CPR if a patient's heart stops beating. Skilled nursing and home-health refer to types of medical care provided in different settings, but they do not necessarily focus on end-of-life care.

Question 4

What would be the most likely age of a child who said,"My cat died,but if I get her some medicine,she will feel better tomorrow?"

Accepted Answer

This statement reflects magical thinking, which is most common in preschool-age children, around 5 years old. At this age, children may not fully understand the permanence of death and may believe that impossible things can happen.

Question 5

Which form of death has occurred in circumstances where there is no electrical activity in the brain and the person no longer has reflexes or responds to vigorous external stimuli?

Accepted Answer

Brain death refers to the complete and irreversible cessation of all brain activity, including electrical activity, which can be confirmed through tests such as an electroencephalogram (EEG). In addition, reflexes and responses to stimuli are absent in a person who is brain dead. While the terms cerebral death and cortical death are sometimes used interchangeably with brain death, they technically refer to different degrees or locations of brain damage that may not necessarily result in complete cessation of brain function. Neural death is not a commonly used term in the medical field.

Question 6

In which of the following would you find a small number of patients who are cared for by specially-trained health care workers in a home-like setting?

Accepted Answer

Hospice centers provide care for patients with terminal illnesses who have a limited life expectancy. The care is provided by interdisciplinary teams in a home-like setting, and is focused on managing symptoms and improving quality of life rather than curing the illness. The number of patients in hospice care is typically small, and the workers are specially trained in end-of-life care. Hospital-based programs, home-based programs, and assisted living programs can provide care to a range of patients with different conditions, and may not have the same focus on end-of-life care or specialized training for workers.

Question 7

When Darius stopped breathing,his eyes were still open.The nurse closed his eyes and pulled the bed sheet over his head.These activities marked which of the following?

Accepted Answer

Social death refers to the moment when an individual is treated as if they are no longer part of the social fabric, often symbolized by rituals such as closing the eyes and covering the body, indicating a recognition of death by those around them.

Question 8

According to research,which of the following attitudes was commonly reported by the loved ones of a terminally ill patient who chose a home-based hospice program?

Accepted Answer

The answer of According to research,which of the following attitudes...

Question 9

Which form of death occurs at the point at which family members and medical personnel treat the deceased person as a corpse?

Accepted Answer

Social death refers to the point at which family members and medical personnel treat the deceased person as a corpse, with a loss of the social and personal attributes that were once associated with the individual. This does not necessarily indicate biological or brain death, which may not occur until later. Clinical death refers to the moment when breathing and heartbeat have ceased, but resuscitation is still possible. Brain death occurs when there is no brain activity, including reflexes, and irreversible damage has occurred. Biological death occurs when there is total organ shutdown and the body begins to decompose.

Question 10

Which of the following contributes to adolescent suicidal behavior?

Accepted Answer

Unrealistic ideas about personal death, such as feeling invulnerable or believing that suicide is a solution to problems, can contribute to adolescent suicidal behavior. The other choices may potentially contribute to an adolescent's understanding and perception of death, but are not necessarily linked to suicidal behavior.

Question 11

In which country did hospice care originate?

Accepted Answer

Hospice care originated in England in the 1960s with Dame Cicely Saunders, who founded St. Christopher's Hospice in London.

Question 12

Which of the following most accurately characterizes what a child younger than five years of age would understand or believe about death?

Accepted Answer

Children younger than five years of age often view death as reversible or temporary, not fully understanding the permanence of death. They may think of death as something akin to sleeping or being away.

Question 13

Roger has AIDS.He hates hospitals and the antiseptic quality of any institution.He wants to die at home with his family around him,making whatever decisions must be made.Which of the following would be a good alternative for Roger to consider?

Accepted Answer

Hospice care provides supportive care to individuals with a life-limiting illness, including medical care, pain management, emotional and spiritual support, and assistance with daily activities. Hospice care is generally provided in the patient's home, allowing them to be surrounded by loved ones and in a comfortable and familiar environment. This aligns with Roger's wishes to die at home with his family making decisions. Additionally, hospice care focuses on the quality of life rather than trying to cure the illness, which may also align with Roger's wishes.

Question 14

In which type of hospice programs are family caregivers supported by specially-trained health care workers?

Accepted Answer

Residence-based hospice programs provide support to patients and their families in their own homes, and often involve specially trained healthcare workers who are able to provide assistance, education, and emotional support to family caregivers.

Question 15

Which of the following is an aspect of the philosophy behind hospice care?

Accepted Answer

Hospice care emphasizes the importance of open communication and planning for after the patient's death. This includes involving the family in care decisions and preparing them emotionally for life after the patient has passed. Hospice care also focuses on comfort care and pain management, rather than prolonging life at all costs. The patient is an active participant in their care and treatment decisions, and their autonomy is respected.

Question 16

A child's understanding of the permanence of death correlates with which stage of Piaget's theory?

Accepted Answer

According to Piaget's theory of cognitive development, a child’s understanding of the permanence of death occurs during the concrete operations stage, which typically occurs between the ages of 7 and 12. During this stage, children begin to understand that things exist even when they cannot see or perceive them directly. They also begin to understand the concept of conservation and can manipulate mental operations about concrete objects. It is during this stage that children begin to understand that death is a permanent and irreversible event.

Question 17

What circumstances permit the determination that a person is legally dead?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What circumstances permit the determination that a...

Question 18

Which of the following would serve to speed up a child's understanding of death?

Accepted Answer

Finding a dead animal can provide a tangible and concrete experience for a child to grasp the concept of death. Seeing and interacting with a dead animal can help them understand that death is permanent and irreversible.

Question 19

In the U.S. ,what percentage of deaths takes place in the decedent's home?

Accepted Answer

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 27% of deaths in the United States occur in the decedent's home. This includes deaths from natural causes, accidents, and suicide. The majority of deaths occur in hospitals or nursing homes.

Question 20

Which form of death has occurred in circumstances where rescue is still possible,even though there is no evidence of brain function,the heart has stopped,and breathing has stopped?

Accepted Answer

Clinical death refers to the state where the heart has stopped beating and the person has stopped breathing, but it is still possible to revive the person with medical interventions. This is different from brain death, which occurs when there is no activity in the brain and there is no chance of recovery. Cardiovascular death and biological death are broader terms that may encompass both clinical and brain death.

Quiz 19: Death,dying,and Bereavement