After a patient death, the nurse is preparing to perform postmortem care. The body is placed supine with the head raised so that:

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.

Feces and urine will drain onto the bed pads (Option A): Placing the body supine with the head raised does not facilitate drainage of feces and urine. Proper containment measures, such as the use of incontinence pads or diapers, are necessary to manage bodily fluids after death.

Movement of the deceased will be more convenient (Option B): Placing the body supine with the head raised does not necessarily make movement of the deceased more convenient. Postmortem care should be performed with care and respect, regardless of the positioning of the body.

Blood will not pool in the face and cause discoloration (Option C): Placing the body supine with the head raised helps prevent blood from pooling in the dependent areas of the face, such as the cheeks and forehead. This reduces the risk of postmortem lividity, which can cause discoloration and make the deceased's appearance less natural.

The deceased will appear to be sleeping (Option D): While placing the body supine with the head raised may create a more natural appearance for the deceased, resembling the posture of someone sleeping, the primary purpose of this positioning is to prevent blood pooling in the face, rather than to create a sleeping appearance.