Final answer:
A hospice nurse should teach that expressing anger is a natural part of healthy grieving and describe the five stages of grief. Hospice care offers a supportive and comfortable environment for patients in their last days, benefiting both the patient and their family by improving quality of life and reducing the caregiver burden.
Step-by-step explanation:
Understanding Grief Reactions and Hospice Care
The hospice nurse should include that a component of healthy grieving is the ability to openly express your anger. This is aligned with the five stages of grief as described by Elisabeth Kübler-Ross, which include denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. Not every individual experiences all these stages, and they may not occur in a linear order. It is also essential for families to understand that a dying person may remain in the denial stage longer if they fight against the reality of death.
The purpose of hospice care is to provide a supportive environment that allows patients to spend their last days in comfort, usually at home, rather than in a hospital. Research indicates that hospice care not only benefits the patient by improving quality of life and potentially extending it, but it also provides vital support for the family, reducing their burden of care and offering emotional support.