Which of the following is the most important consideration in end-of-life care for a patient diagnosed with Huntington's Disease?
Administering aggressive medical interventions to prolong life.
Encouraging the patient to engage in physical therapy and exercise.
Providing comfort care and managing symptoms according to patient's wishes.
Providing respite care and support for the patient's family.
The Correct Answer is C
A. Administering aggressive medical interventions to prolong life: In the end stages of Huntington's Disease, aggressive medical interventions are generally not the priority. Huntington's is a progressive neurodegenerative disease, and prolonging life without regard to the patient's quality of life is usually not the focus. The emphasis in end-of-life care is on comfort and symptom management rather than aggressive treatments.
B. Encouraging the patient to engage in physical therapy and exercise: While physical therapy can be important earlier in the disease progression to help maintain function and mobility, in the end stages of Huntington's Disease, the patient's focus is more on comfort care. At this point, physical therapy may not be practical or helpful in improving quality of life, so it is not the primary consideration.
C. Providing comfort care and managing symptoms according to patient's wishes: This is correct. The most important consideration in end-of-life care for a patient with Huntington's Disease is to focus on comfort and symptom management. This includes addressing pain, managing emotional and psychological symptoms, and ensuring that care aligns with the patient's wishes, values, and goals. End-of-life care should prioritize maintaining dignity and ensuring the patient's comfort.
D. Providing respite care and support for the patient's family: While providing respite care and family support are very important aspects of caregiving, the most important consideration is the patient's comfort and managing symptoms in alignment with their wishes. Respite care for the family is important but is not the central focus of end-of-life care for the patient.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is C
Explanation
A. Providing pain management to adhere to coughing and deep breathing exercises: While pain management is important for overall comfort and encouraging deep breathing and coughing, it is not the primary intervention for managing hypoxemia due to altered alveolar diffusion. The key intervention for hypoxemia from impaired alveolar diffusion focuses more on improving oxygenation and addressing the underlying cause.
B. Teaching the client to use the tripod position: The tripod position, which involves sitting upright and leaning forward with hands on knees, can help improve breathing for patients with certain respiratory conditions (e.g., COPD), but it is not directly related to the management of hypoxemia caused by altered alveolar diffusion.
C. Adding humidity with supplemental oxygen to keep secretions thin: Hypoxemia related to altered alveolar diffusion often results from difficulty in gas exchange due to thickened secretions or inflammation. Adding humidity to supplemental oxygen helps thin the secretions, making it easier to clear them, and can improve gas exchange in the lungs, which directly helps address the hypoxemia.
D. Supplying additional oxygen while the client is at rest: While providing supplemental oxygen to maintain adequate oxygen levels is important in managing hypoxemia, this option does not specifically address the issue of altered alveolar diffusion. Humidified oxygen can be more beneficial in improving secretion clearance and promoting better diffusion in such cases.
Correct Answer is A
Explanation
A. Muscle rigidity, flat affect, and bradykinesia: The hallmark symptoms of PD include:
Muscle rigidity: Stiffness or inflexibility in the muscles, often felt as resistance when the patient’s limbs are moved.
Flat affect: A reduced facial expression or lack of emotional expression, which is common in PD due to the difficulty in controlling facial muscles.
Bradykinesia: Slowness of movement, which makes initiating and completing voluntary movements more difficult. This is a major characteristic of PD.
B. Generalized weakness and fatigue: While weakness and fatigue can occur in PD, they are not considered the primary hallmark symptoms. The primary issues in PD are related to movement abnormalities, including tremor, rigidity, and bradykinesia. Fatigue can be secondary to the motor difficulties.
C. Ascending weakness starting in the legs: This is more characteristic of conditions like Guillain-Barré syndrome or other neurological disorders that cause progressive weakness, rather than PD. In PD, motor symptoms are typically bilateral and affect both sides of the body more symmetrically over time, not starting in the legs.
D. Increasing dementia and involuntary movements: While dementia can occur later in the course of PD, it is not a primary early symptom. Involuntary movements, such as tremors, can be a feature of PD but are not typically described as the same type of "involuntary movements" seen in conditions like Huntington's disease.
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