A nurse is caring for a client with advanced heart failure who is receiving palliative care. Which intervention best exemplifies the principles of palliative care?
Focusing solely on physical symptoms and ignoring emotional needs
Discontinuing all medications
Encouraging the client to undergo aggressive curative treatments
Managing the client's dyspnea and pain effectively
The Correct Answer is D
A. Focusing solely on physical symptoms and ignoring emotional needs: Palliative care addresses the whole person, including emotional, psychological, spiritual, and social needs. Ignoring emotional aspects does not align with palliative care principles.
B. Discontinuing all medications: Stopping medications without considering symptom management or quality of life can cause unnecessary suffering. Palliative care focuses on comfort, not indiscriminate discontinuation of treatments.
C. Encouraging the client to undergo aggressive curative treatments: Palliative care emphasizes quality of life and symptom relief rather than pursuing aggressive interventions when they may not provide meaningful benefit.
D. Managing the client's dyspnea and pain effectively: Symptom management, such as controlling dyspnea and pain, is central to palliative care. This approach prioritizes comfort, dignity, and quality of life for clients with advanced illness.
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Related Questions
Correct Answer is C
Explanation
A. To perform a nutritional assessment only: Nutrition is one component of a comprehensive pediatric assessment, but focusing solely on it does not capture the full scope of health evaluation. Comprehensive assessment addresses multiple body systems and psychosocial factors.
B. To establish a rapport with the child and family: Building rapport is an important part of the assessment process and supports cooperation, but it is a means to an end rather than the primary purpose.
C. To differentiate between expected and unexpected findings to guide diagnostic and management decisions: The primary goal of a comprehensive health assessment is to identify normal versus abnormal physical, developmental, and psychosocial findings. This differentiation directs appropriate diagnostic testing, interventions, and individualized care planning.
D. To evaluate the child's growth and development over time: Monitoring growth and development is a key element of pediatric assessment, but it represents only one aspect of the overall comprehensive evaluation. The primary purpose is broader, encompassing all health dimensions.
Correct Answer is D
Explanation
A. Increase the client's fluid intake: Increasing fluids would worsen fluid retention and exacerbate heart failure symptoms. This action is inappropriate for sudden weight gain related to fluid overload.
B. Arrange for a follow-up with the cardiologist: While follow-up is important, arranging an appointment is not an immediate independent nursing intervention. It addresses long-term management rather than the first nursing response.
C. Administer diuretics as prescribed: Administering medication is a dependent intervention that requires a provider’s order. Nurses cannot independently initiate or adjust diuretics without a prescription.
D. Educate the client on low sodium diet importance: Patient education is an independent nursing intervention. Teaching the client about sodium restriction helps prevent further fluid retention, addresses the cause of weight gain, and can be implemented immediately, making it the first priority action.
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