The nurse is speaking with the spouse of a client following a family discussion with the healthcare provider about the client’s terminal condition and eligibility for hospice care. The spouse states, "I don't think I can make this decision right now. What would you do?" How should the nurse respond?
"I find it helpful to investigate the options. I will get you a pamphlet about hospice care."
"You seem overwhelmed. I’ll contact a chaplain to come and talk with you about the options."
"It’s hard to say what the best decision is, but know hospice provides wonderful care."
"These decisions are challenging. Tell me your spouse’s beliefs about end-of-life."
The Correct Answer is D
Choice A reason: Offering information is supportive, but this does not address the spouse’s emotional needs or encourage discussion about the client’s values.
Choice B reason: Calling a chaplain might be supportive later, but it avoids addressing the spouse’s statement directly and risks shifting responsibility away from the nurse.
Choice C reason: Reassurance without exploring the client’s and family’s values minimizes the spouse’s need for deeper reflection and personal decision-making.
Choice D reason: Encouraging the spouse to reflect on the client’s beliefs and values promotes autonomy and supports decision-making that honors the client’s wishes, making it the most therapeutic response.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is B
Explanation
Choice A reason: Forcibly removing the client escalates anxiety and can increase resistance. This action does not support therapeutic management of OCD.
Choice B reason: Providing a clear, respectful, and time-limited reminder supports structure and helps the client redirect behavior without confrontation. It balances therapeutic boundaries with empathy.
Choice C reason: Dismissing the client’s concern as unreasonable invalidates their experience, increasing defensiveness and mistrust. This does not support treatment goals.
Choice D reason: Avoiding the problem by redirecting the roommate fails to address the client’s compulsive behavior and disrupts the care environment.
Correct Answer is D
Explanation
Choice A reason: Long-term memory and emotional responses are primarily associated with the limbic system, particularly the hippocampus and amygdala, not the hypothalamus.
Choice B reason: Voluntary muscle control and reflexes are coordinated by the motor cortex and spinal cord, not the hypothalamus.
Choice C reason: Processing sensory input and initiating motor responses are functions of the thalamus and cerebral cortex. The hypothalamus is not directly responsible for this role.
Choice D reason: The hypothalamus regulates homeostasis, including body temperature, thirst, fluid balance, circadian rhythms, and hormone release. A tumor compressing this area explains the patient’s symptoms.
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