A Family Member Is Concerned That a Patient near the End

question 4

Multiple Choice

A family member is concerned that a patient near the end of life is not eating or drinking and asks the nurse how the family can help the patient increase oral intake. Which response by the nurse is most appropriate?

• A)"The best way to feed the patient is with a syringe and small amounts of water or liquid feeding."
• B)"The less the patient drinks, the less urination will be necessary, and urination can be uncomfortable at this point in the dying process."
• C)"The starvation process at the end of life is quite natural; a side benefit is that lower doses of medications are needed to keep the patient comfortable."
• D)"As your family member becomes dehydrated from not eating or drinking, natural endorphins will be released, which increase comfort near the end of life."

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Definitions:

Price Level

The economy’s general price level across its full range of goods and services.

Short-run Equilibrium

A state in which market supply and demand balance each other, and, as a result, prices become stable temporarily.

Global Pollution

Environmental damage that crosses international borders, affecting air, water, and land on a worldwide scale.

Aggregate Supply

The total supply of goods and services that firms in an economy are willing to sell at a given overall price level and in a given time period.