The provider orders fluid replacement for a dehydrated patient.

The order entered is 1000 mL over 10 hours.

If using an IV pump, what is the rate that the nurse should enter?

Choice A rationale
Mottling of the skin, especially in the lower extremities, is a common sign of impending death. This is due to decreased blood flow and can be a sign that the body is starting to shut down.
Choice B rationale
This statement is incorrect. As a person nears death, their blood pressure typically decreases, not increases.
Choice C rationale
Cheyne-Stokes breathing, which is characterized by a pattern of increasing and decreasing respiration with periods of apnea, is a common symptom in the final stages of life.
Choice D rationale
This statement is incorrect. As a person nears death, their skin may become cool to the touch and may appear pale or mottled.
Choice E rationale
Regular respiration is not typically a sign of impending death. In fact, changes in breathing patterns, such as Cheyne-Stokes breathing, are more common.

Choice A rationale
Initiating life-saving measures such as a rapid response call would not be appropriate in this context. The patient is in a hospice setting, which focuses on providing comfort and quality of life for patients who are nearing the end of life, rather than aggressive life-saving interventions.
Choice B rationale
Calling the provider because these signs and symptoms are abnormal would not be the correct response. In a hospice setting, these symptoms are expected and are indicative of the natural dying process.
Choice C rationale
The statement that rapid respirations that are unusually deep and regular are curative for the patient is incorrect. Cheyne-Stokes respirations, characterized by a pattern of increasing and then decreasing depth of breath followed by a period of apnea, are often seen in patients nearing the end of life. They are not curative but are a sign of the body’s decreasing metabolic demands and changing physiology as death approaches.
Choice D rationale
The nurse understanding that these are impending signs of death and are normal is the correct response. The symptoms described, including loss of appetite, swelling of the limbs, increased sleep, Cheyne-Stokes respirations, and hallucinations, are all common in the final stages of life.
Recognizing these signs can help the nurse provide appropriate care and support to the patient and their family during this time.