Nokea
A patients rapid cancer metastases have prompted a shift from active treatment to palliative care. When planning this patients care, the nurse should identify what primary aim?
- A. To prioritize emotional needs
- B. To prevent and relieve suffering
- C. To bridge between curative care and hospice care
- D. To provide care while there is still hope
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The primary aim when transitioning a patient with rapid cancer metastases from active treatment to palliative care is to prevent and relieve suffering. Palliative care focuses on enhancing quality of life, managing symptoms, and addressing physical, emotional, and spiritual needs. By prioritizing the prevention and relief of suffering, healthcare providers can work towards improving the patient's comfort and overall well-being during this difficult time. This approach aligns with the goals of palliative care, which aim to provide holistic support and care for patients facing serious illnesses like cancer.
You may also like to solve these questions
A hospitalized patient with impaired vision must get a picture in his or her mind of the hospital room and its contents in order to mobilize independently and safely. What must the nurse monitor in the patients room?
- A. That a commode is always available at the bedside
- B. That all furniture remains in the same position
- C. That visitors do not leave items on the bedside table
- D. That the patients slippers stay under the bed
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: It is crucial for the nurse to monitor that all furniture remains in the same position in the hospitalized patient's room. For a patient with impaired vision who needs to create a mental picture of the room to mobilize independently and safely, any changes in the position of furniture can disrupt this mental map and potentially lead to accidents or falls. By ensuring that all furniture remains unchanged, the nurse supports the patient's ability to navigate the room confidently and without obstacles. This monitoring helps promote the patient's safety and independence during their stay in the hospital.
The nurse is caring for a patient who has been recently diagnosed with late stage pancreatic cancer. The patient refuses to accept the diagnosis and refuses to adhere to treatment. What is the most likely psychosocial purpose of this patients strategy?
- A. The patient may be trying to protect loved ones from the emotional effects of the illness.
- B. The patient is being noncompliant in order to assert power over caregivers.
- C. The patient may be skeptical of the benefits of the Western biomedical model of health.
- D. The patient thinks that treatment does not provide him comfort.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The patient may be trying to protect loved ones from the emotional effects of the illness. This behavior could be a form of denial, a defense mechanism where the individual refuses to acknowledge the reality of the diagnosis in order to shield their loved ones from distress. By rejecting the diagnosis and refusing treatment, the patient may believe that they are preventing their family and friends from experiencing the emotional pain associated with the illness. This behavior is a common coping mechanism in response to overwhelming and distressing news like a terminal illness diagnosis. It serves a psychosocial purpose of trying to protect others from suffering, even though it may not align with the patient's best interest in terms of receiving appropriate medical care.
A 50-year-old man diagnosed with leukemia will begin chemotherapy. What would the nurse do to combat the most common adverse effects of chemotherapy?
- A. Administer an antiemetic.
- B. Administer an antimetabolite.
- C. Administer a tumor antibiotic.
- D. Administer an anticoagulant.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Nausea and vomiting are common adverse effects of chemotherapy. Administering an antiemetic helps to prevent or reduce these symptoms in patients undergoing chemotherapy. By managing nausea and vomiting, the patient's overall well-being and quality of life during treatment can be improved. Therefore, providing an antiemetic medication is essential in combating these adverse effects and promoting patient comfort and compliance with treatment.
Patients who are enrolled in hospice care through Medicare are often felt to suffer unnecessarily because they do not receive adequate attention for their symptoms of the underlying illness. What factor most contributes to this phenomenon?
- A. Unwillingness to overmedicate the dying patient
- B. Rules concerning completion of all cure-focused medical treatment
- C. Unwillingness of patients and families to acknowledge the patient is terminal
- D. Lack of knowledge of patients and families regarding availability of care
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The factor that most contributes to patients in hospice care not receiving adequate attention for their symptoms of the underlying illness is the unwillingness of patients and families to acknowledge that the patient is terminal. When patients and families are in denial or struggle to accept the terminal nature of the illness, they may avoid focusing on symptom management and comfort care that is essential in hospice care. This can prevent healthcare providers from effectively addressing and managing the patient's symptoms, leading to unnecessary suffering for the patient. Accepting the terminal nature of the illness allows for a shift in focus towards providing quality end-of-life care that prioritizes symptom management and comfort for the patient.
A patient has been discharged home after a total mastectomy without reconstruction. The patient lives alone and has a home health referral. When the home care nurse performs the first scheduled visit this patient, what should the nurse assess? Select all that apply.
- A. Adherence to the exercise plan
- B. Overall psychological functioning
- C. Integrity of surgical drains
- D. Understanding of cancer E) Use of the breast prosthesis
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: B. Overall psychological functioning: It is crucial for the home care nurse to assess the patient's overall psychological functioning after a total mastectomy without reconstruction. The patient may be experiencing emotional distress, body image disturbances, anxiety, or depression related to the surgery and changes in physical appearance. The nurse should evaluate the patient's coping mechanisms, emotional well-being, and any signs of psychological implications to provide appropriate support and referral for mental health services if needed.