Question

7. An adult oncology patient has a diagnosis of bladder cancer with metastasis and the patient has asked the nurse about the possibility of hospice care. Which principle is central to a hospice setting?

A) The patient and family should be viewed as a single unit of care.
B) Persistent symptoms of terminal illness should not be treated.
C) Each member of the interdisciplinary team should develop an individual plan of care.
D) Terminally ill patients should die in the hospital whenever possible. Ans:

Answer 1

The central principle of hospice care is treating the patient and family as a single unit, focusing on comfort and support during the dying process, rather than pursuing curative treatment.

Step-by-step explanation:

The principle central to a hospice setting is that the patient and family should be viewed as a single unit of care. In hospice care, the aim is not to cure the illness but to provide comfort and support for the patient and their family during the dying process. The hospice model emphasizes comfort care, emotional support, and enabling the patient to spend their last days in a preferred, often familiar, environment, potentially even at home, surrounded by loved ones. The patient's autonomy and wishes, including where they want to die, are highly respected. Care is administered by an interdisciplinary team that works together to provide a holistic approach to end-of-life care, focused on quality of life and symptom management.