A terminally ill patient is experiencing a great deal of dyspnea and noisy, "rattling" rapid respirations. The nurse administers morphine in a very small liquid or intramuscular dose. The purpose of this is to:

A. Staying positive and optimistic at all times may not be realistic or helpful when supporting grieving patients and families. It's essential for the nurse to acknowledge and validate the range of emotions experienced by individuals who are grieving, which may include sadness, anger, and despair.

B. While understanding theories of grief can be beneficial, it is not the most crucial aspect of providing effective support. Empathy, active listening, and validation of emotions are often more important in supporting grieving individuals.

C. Keeping a professional distance from the situation may hinder the nurse's ability to provide empathetic and compassionate care. While maintaining professionalism is important, forming a therapeutic relationship often requires a degree of emotional closeness and empathy.

D. Coming to terms with his or her own view of death is essential for providing effective support to grieving patients and families. Nurses who have unresolved issues or fears related to death may struggle to provide empathetic and supportive care to individuals who are grieving. Personal reflection and self-awareness can help nurses manage their own emotions and biases, allowing them to better support others during times of grief.

The patient's statement reflects the stage of bargaining in Kübler-Ross's model of the five stages of grief and dying. During the bargaining stage, individuals may negotiate with a higher power or express desires to postpone or mitigate the inevitable outcome, such as death. In this case, the patient is expressing a wish to live long enough to witness the birth of their first grandchild, indicating a form of negotiation or bargaining with fate or circumstances.

A. Bargaining: Bargaining is characterized by attempts to negotiate or make deals in an effort to postpone or change the outcome of a situation, often involving a plea for more time or specific circumstances. The patient's statement about wanting to live long enough to see their first grandchild born exemplifies this stage, as they are expressing a desire to prolong their life to experience a significant event.

B. Anger: Anger involves feelings of frustration, resentment, or rage directed towards oneself, others, or the situation. The patient's statement does not reflect anger but rather a hopeful desire to witness a significant life event, indicating a different stage of grieving and acceptance.

C. Denial: Denial involves refusing to accept the reality of a situation or diagnosis, often accompanied by disbelief or avoidance of the truth. The patient's statement does not suggest denial, as they are acknowledging their impending death but expressing a desire for a specific experience before it occurs.

D. Depression: Depression in the context of Kübler-Ross's model involves feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and withdrawal in response to the impending loss or death. While the patient's statement may evoke emotions related to the significance of the event, it does not necessarily reflect depression as the primary stage of grief being experienced. Instead, it aligns more closely with bargaining, as the patient is expressing a desire for a particular outcome before facing death.