NCLEX style questions; Death, Grief, and Dying

1.A patient is hospitalized with severe depression after her divorce is finalized. Which type of loss is the patient experiencing? 1) Actual 2) Perceived 3) Physical 4) External - Answer: 1) Actual Rationale: The loss of a relationship is an actual loss. An actual loss is a reality that can be identified by others, not just by the person experiencing it. Perceived loss is internal; it can only be identified by the person experiencing the loss. Physical loss includes injuries, removal of an organ or body part, or loss of function. An external loss is an actual loss of an object. 2.The nurse is caring for a patient who is terminally ill with lung cancer. Recently, the patient's blood pressure has been decreasing and heart rate increasing. He is experiencing temperature fluctuations and perspires profusely with limited movement. Based on these findings, the patient will most likely die within which time period? 1) 1 to 3 months 2) 1 to 2 weeks 3) Days to hours 4) Moments - Answer: 2) 1 to 2 weeks Rationale: One to 2 weeks before death, patients typically exhibit decreased blood pressure, increased heart rate, increased perspiration, and temperature fluctuations; 1 to 3 months before death the patient withdraws from the world: sleep increases and appetite decreases. Days to hours before death, the patient may experience a surge in energy. Very near the time of death, the dying patient is typically not responsive to touch or sound. 3.A family member asks the nurse to explain the purpose of hospice care. Which of the following is the best response? Hospice care: 1) Is appropriate when the patient desires to intentionally end his life 2) Focuses on minimizing the disease process as rapidly as possible 3) Focuses on symptom m