The Nurse Is Caring for a Patient with Liver Failure

question 20

Multiple Choice

The nurse is caring for a patient with liver failure who is unconscious. The patient's girlfriend of 12 years has been making health care decisions. The patient is still legally married, and his wife whom he has not seen in 20 years shows up and wants to take over in making medical decisions. Which action should the nurse take?

• A)Provide care according to the girlfriend's wishes.
• B)Ask the charge nurse to assign another nurse to care for the patient.
• C)Ask for an ethics committee consult.
• D)Ignore both parties and provide care based on the nurse's own values.

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Definitions:

Grieving Child

Refers to a child who is experiencing the emotional process of dealing with loss, typically of a loved one, which can impact their emotional and psychological welfare.

Bereaved Parent

A parent who has experienced the death of a child, leading to extensive emotional and psychological grief.

Ritual

A set of fixed actions and sometimes words performed regularly, especially as part of a ceremony or to express reverence to a belief, deity, or cultural heritage.

Kubler Ross

A model developed by Elisabeth Kübler-Ross outlining the five stages of grief; denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance.