A nurse is caring for a client who has advanced lung cancer. The client's provider has recommended hospice services for the client. Which of the following statements by the client indicates a correct understanding of hospice care?

A) Disenfranchised grief:
Disenfranchised grief occurs when a person's loss is not socially recognized or supported, such as the death of a pet or an ex-spouse. The client's situation does not indicate disenfranchised grief.

B) Anticipatory grief:
Anticipatory grief happens before an impending loss, such as when a loved one is terminally ill. The client is grieving after the loss, not before it.

C) Prolonged grief:
Prolonged grief, also known as complicated grief, involves intense, persistent, and disabling grief symptoms that interfere with normal functioning. The client’s decreasing grief and positive outlook indicate that they are not experiencing prolonged grief.

D) Uncomplicated grief:
Uncomplicated grief, also known as normal grief, is the natural response to loss. It includes a range of emotions and reactions that typically diminish over time as the individual adapts to the loss. The client’s decreasing grief severity and forward-looking attitude towards spending time with their grandchildren are characteristic of uncomplicated grief.

A. Check residual volume every 4 to 6 hr: While checking residual volume is an essential component of enteral feeding management, it is not the priority action in this scenario. The client's positioning to prevent aspiration takes precedence over checking residual volume.

B. Observe client's respiratory status: Monitoring respiratory status is crucial for any client with a decreased level of consciousness. However, in this case, the priority is to prevent aspiration, and positioning takes precedence over respiratory assessment.

C. Elevate the head of the client's bed 30° to 45°: The priority action for a client receiving continuous enteral feedings via a gastrostomy tube and experiencing a decreased level of consciousness is to maintain proper positioning to prevent aspiration. Elevating the head of the bed 30° to 45° helps reduce the risk of aspiration by promoting drainage of stomach contents away from the airway. This position also helps prevent reflux of gastric contents into the esophagus, which can lead to aspiration pneumonia.

D. Monitor intake and output every 8 hr: Monitoring intake and output is essential for assessing fluid balance and the effectiveness of enteral feedings. However, it is not the priority action in this situation compared to maintaining proper positioning to prevent aspiration.