Question

The nurse is caring for a patient who has been diagnosed with a terminal illness. The patient states, I just don't feel like going to work. I have no energy, and I can't eat or sleep. The patient shows no interest in taking part in the care by saying, What's the use? Which response by the nurse is best?

a. It sounds like you have lost hope.
b. It sounds like you have lost energy.
c. It sounds like you have lost your appetite.
d. It sounds like you have lost the ability to sleep.

Answer 1

The best nurse response to the patient's expression of a lack of interest in work, no energy, inability to eat or sleep would be 'a. It sounds like you have lost hope,' because it addresses the overall feeling of despair encompassing all symptoms.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question is asking which response by the nurse would be best when a patient with a terminal illness expresses a lack of interest in work, no energy, and difficulty with eating and sleeping. The best response is to address the patient's overall feeling of hopelessness, which encompasses all the symptoms mentioned. Although each option provided seems to highlight a symptom, the nurse's best response would acknowledge the underlying loss of hope which is a naturally common reaction to terminal illness and captures the essence of the patient's feelings.

Therefore, the correct answer is:
a. It sounds like you have lost hope.