Question

The patient is terminally ill and is under hospice care. The nurse cares for the patient by bathing, shaving, and repositioning him. The family believes that the end is very near and would like a Catholic priest called to provide the patient with the Sacrament of the Sick. The nurse places a call to the Catholic Church the patient attended and arranges for the priest's visit. Under which of the following theories does the nurse's care fall?

a. Roy's adaptation theory
b. Watson's philosophy of transpersonal caring
c. Henderson's theory
d. Orem's self-care deficit theory

Answer 1

The nurse's care falls under Watson's philosophy of transpersonal caring, which honors the holistic needs of patients, including spiritual care such as arranging for a priest's visit for the Sacrament of the Sick. The correct option is B.

Step-by-step explanation:

The care provided by the nurse for the terminally ill patient under hospice care falls under Watson's philosophy of transpersonal caring.

This theory emphasizes the caring relationship between the nurse and the patient, where the nurse attends to not only the physical needs but also the spiritual and emotional needs of the patient, which is exemplified by arranging for a Catholic priest to provide the Sacrament of the Sick at the family's request.

The philosophy recognizes the interconnectedness of all and honors the human dimensions of nursing's work as well as the inner life world and subjective experience of the people we serve, in this case, attending to a patient's spiritual needs during the end-of-life care.