Question

The nurse is making rounds and finds her older adult patient sobbing and obviously upset. She states that her doctor told her that she has cancer, and she does not want to die. What's the sense? she says. I might as well die. I'm going to anyway. I guess that shows how useless I really am. Nobody wants an old lady around. The nurse notices that the patients respirations have increased, and the tip of her nose and ear lobes are becoming cyanotic. The nurse assesses the patient and finds that the patients

Answer 1

The patient's emotional response to her cancer diagnosis aligns with the stages of grief defined by Elisabeth Kübler-Ross: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. Cyanosis and increased respirations indicate a medical complication, and hospice care could provide dignified and comfortable support.

Step-by-step explanation:

The emotional and psychological impact of a terminal illness diagnosis is significant and multifaceted. When individuals, such as the older adult patient in the question, confront the reality of a terminal condition like cancer, they often experience various stages of grief, as outlined by Elisabeth Kübler-Ross. These stages include denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. The manifestation of these stages can vary from person to person, and not everyone goes through all of them, or in the prescribed order. The increased respirations and signs of cyanosis in the patient indicate a potential decrease in oxygen levels, which could be distressing and exacerbate the psychological impact of her diagnosis. Hospice care may be an option to consider, as it focuses on providing a dignified and comfortable end-of-life experience, managing pain, and offering emotional support to both the patient and their family.