Question

A hospice nurse is caring for a preschooler who has a terminal illness: True/ False One of the preschooler's parents tells the nurse that they cannot cope anymore and are thinking about moving out of the house: True/ False Which of the following statements should the nurse make?

a) "It is important that you provide emotional support for your family at this time: True/ False"
b) "You have to do what you feel is best: True/ False Everything will turn out fine: True/ False"
c) "I know how you feel: True/ False This is an extremely stressful time for your family: True/ False"
d) "Let's talk about some of the ways you have handled previous stressors in your life: True/ False"

Answer 1

The nurse should respond with an open-ended question about previous coping strategies to help the parent reflect on their ability to handle stress, drawing on resources that hospice care provides for both the patient and family members, including emotional support and improved coping mechanisms.

Step-by-step explanation:

When confronting the statement from one of the preschooler's parents about not being able to cope and thinking of moving out, the nurse in a hospice care setting should provide professional support and possibly explore options for additional support. One appropriate response could be d) "Let's talk about some of the ways you have handled previous stressors in your life: True". This opens a conversation for the nurse to understand and guide the parent through their coping mechanisms, leveraging past experiences to navigate current hardships. It is essential to recognize the extreme stress the family is under, and it's also helpful to remind them of the emotional support and resources that hospice care can offer to both the patient and the family.

According to research, hospice care has been shown to benefit not only the patients, by allowing them to remain at home and live longer than non-hospice patients, but also their families, by providing emotional support and reducing the burden of care. The hospice team can help guide the family through the process, informed by their loved one's condition, and offer increased family and social support, improving their overall coping strategies.