A Hospice Patient Is Unable to Tolerate Food or Fluids

question 5

Multiple Choice

A hospice patient is unable to tolerate food or fluids and has advance directives that indicate that he does not want IV fluids or tube feedings if he is unable to take oral feedings. His family is concerned that he will be very uncomfortable without food or fluids. The nurse should tell them that:

• A) once the patient is unconscious, his health care proxy can order IV fluids or tube feedings to prevent dehydration.
• B) dehydration is painful, and medication can be given to overcome any pain.
• C) IV fluids or a tube feeding would make the patient much more comfortable, and they should try to talk him into accepting them.
• D) IV fluids or tube feeding would likely make the patient more uncomfortable, and dehydration has been shown to decrease pain and discomfort.

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Definitions:

Monetary Transactions

Financial activities involving the transfer of money from one party to another, can include both domestic and international transactions.

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The system by which goods and services are produced, distributed, and consumed in a society.

GDP Deflator

An economic metric that converts output measured at current prices into constant-dollar GDP, removing the effects of inflation to compare one period with another.