Final answer:
The nurse should suggest a response that acknowledges the family member's awareness of their mortality, such as expressing sadness at the thought of life without them, which aligns with hospice care principles of comfort and dignity.
Step-by-step explanation:
When a terminally ill family member mentions death is coming soon, the nurse could suggest responding with compassion and honest communication. It's important to understand the psychology behind the dying process as described by Elizabeth Kübler-Ross, who identified the five stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. Engaging with the family member by acknowledging their feelings and their prognostic awareness can be a crucial part of their ability to reach acceptance and face death with dignity, which is a core principle of hospice care. The emphasis is on providing comfort in the remaining time, rather than prolonging life at all costs.
Responding to the family member’s comment about death could incorporate elements that recognize their current acceptance stage, such as 'we feel so sad when we think of life without you,' rather than encouraging denial or a fight they are not equipped for. Hospice care often aligns with this approach, as it is focused on comfort and supporting an individual's end-of-life journey in their preferred environment, which studies show is often at home. Within the hospice care system, psychological support is as important as physical care for the terminally ill person and their family.