Chapter 38: Death and Dying
Fundamental Nursing Skills and Concepts 12th Edition, Timby
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. To help the family deal with the delirium of their dying relative, the nurse can suggest
that they should:
a. stimulate the patient with music and visits from friends.
b. talk to the patient in quiet tones.
c. sit quietly in the room with the patient.
d. speak firmly to the patient to bring him back to reality.
ANS: B
Talking with the patient is comforting to the patient. Even when unresponsive,
patients can hear. Stimulation is not helpful and may confuse the patient further.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Application REF: m 198 OBJ: Theory #5
TOP: Delirium KEY: Nursing Process Step:
Implementation MSC: NCLEX: Physiological Integrity: basic care and
comfort
2. After a patient death, the nurse is preparing to perform post-mortem care. The body is
placed supine with the head raised so that:
a. the deceased will appear to be sleeping.
b. blood will not pool in the face and cause discoloration.
c. movement of the deceased will be more convenient.
d. feces and urine will drain onto the bed pads.
ANS: B
After death, the head of the deceased is raised to prevent discoloration by the pooling
of blood in the face.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Comprehension REF: m 202 OBJ: Clinical
Practice #6 TOP: Post-mortem Care KEY: Nursing Process
Step: Implementation MSC: NCLEX: N/A
3. The family members of a young man, who is in the intensive care unit on life support
after suffering irreversible brain damage resulting from a motorcycle accident, have been
approached by the organ transplant team to consider organ donation. When they ask the
nurse about this process, the nurses best response would be:
a. There is a small cost to the family for the donation, but it is for a good cause.
b. Often families are comforted by the knowledge that some good came from this
tragedy.
c. Because your son has been on life support, the only organs they can use would be
his kidneys.
d. Organ donation will probably delay the funeral.
ANS: B
There are many more persons needing organs than there are donors. Nurses are in a
position to educate the public about organ donation.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Application REF: m 201 OBJ: Clinical Practice #2
, TOP: Organ Donation KEY: Nursing Process Step:
Implementation MSC: NCLEX: Physiological Integrity: basic care and
comfort
4. A terminally ill patient is experiencing a great deal of dyspnea and noisy, rattling, rapid
respirations. The nurse administers morphine in a very small liquid or intramuscular dose.
The purpose of this is to:
a. decrease pain caused by dyspnea.
b. hasten death by stopping respirations.
c. decrease respiratory rate and relieve dyspnea.
d. dry up secretions that are causing rattling.
ANS: C
Morphine is used to ease terminal dyspnea by reducing the rate and increasing the
depth of respirations.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Comprehension REF: m 198 OBJ: Clinical
Practice #3 TOP: Use of Morphine KEY: Nursing Process
Step: Implementation MSC: NCLEX: Physiological Integrity:
basic care and comfort
5. When the patient says, I can die happily if I can live long enough to see my first
grandchild that will be born next month. The nurse assesses that this patient is
experiencing Kbler-Rosss stage of:
a. denial.
b. bargaining.
c. anger.
d. depression.
ANS: B
Kbler-Rosss stages of coping with death include the bargaining stage in which the
person seeks the reward of extended life.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Comprehension REF: m 195, Table 15-1
OBJ: Theory #1 TOP: Stages of Coping with Death KEY:
Nursing Process Step: Assessment MSC: NCLEX: Psychosocial
Integrity: coping and adaptation
6. When the nurse notes an increase in the level of daily function in the terminal patient, the
nurse assesses that this patient has reached Kbler-Rosss level of:
a. yearning.
b. bargaining.
c. depression.
d. acceptance.
ANS: D
Kbler-Rosss stages of coping with death include the acceptance stage in which the
struggle is over, the pain is gone, and the patient has found peace. The patient
frequently demonstrates a heightened level of activity in his or her daily function
during this stage.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Comprehension REF: m 191 OBJ: Theory #1
TOP: Acceptance Stage KEY: Nursing Process Step:
Fundamental Nursing Skills and Concepts 12th Edition, Timby
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. To help the family deal with the delirium of their dying relative, the nurse can suggest
that they should:
a. stimulate the patient with music and visits from friends.
b. talk to the patient in quiet tones.
c. sit quietly in the room with the patient.
d. speak firmly to the patient to bring him back to reality.
ANS: B
Talking with the patient is comforting to the patient. Even when unresponsive,
patients can hear. Stimulation is not helpful and may confuse the patient further.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Application REF: m 198 OBJ: Theory #5
TOP: Delirium KEY: Nursing Process Step:
Implementation MSC: NCLEX: Physiological Integrity: basic care and
comfort
2. After a patient death, the nurse is preparing to perform post-mortem care. The body is
placed supine with the head raised so that:
a. the deceased will appear to be sleeping.
b. blood will not pool in the face and cause discoloration.
c. movement of the deceased will be more convenient.
d. feces and urine will drain onto the bed pads.
ANS: B
After death, the head of the deceased is raised to prevent discoloration by the pooling
of blood in the face.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Comprehension REF: m 202 OBJ: Clinical
Practice #6 TOP: Post-mortem Care KEY: Nursing Process
Step: Implementation MSC: NCLEX: N/A
3. The family members of a young man, who is in the intensive care unit on life support
after suffering irreversible brain damage resulting from a motorcycle accident, have been
approached by the organ transplant team to consider organ donation. When they ask the
nurse about this process, the nurses best response would be:
a. There is a small cost to the family for the donation, but it is for a good cause.
b. Often families are comforted by the knowledge that some good came from this
tragedy.
c. Because your son has been on life support, the only organs they can use would be
his kidneys.
d. Organ donation will probably delay the funeral.
ANS: B
There are many more persons needing organs than there are donors. Nurses are in a
position to educate the public about organ donation.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Application REF: m 201 OBJ: Clinical Practice #2
, TOP: Organ Donation KEY: Nursing Process Step:
Implementation MSC: NCLEX: Physiological Integrity: basic care and
comfort
4. A terminally ill patient is experiencing a great deal of dyspnea and noisy, rattling, rapid
respirations. The nurse administers morphine in a very small liquid or intramuscular dose.
The purpose of this is to:
a. decrease pain caused by dyspnea.
b. hasten death by stopping respirations.
c. decrease respiratory rate and relieve dyspnea.
d. dry up secretions that are causing rattling.
ANS: C
Morphine is used to ease terminal dyspnea by reducing the rate and increasing the
depth of respirations.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Comprehension REF: m 198 OBJ: Clinical
Practice #3 TOP: Use of Morphine KEY: Nursing Process
Step: Implementation MSC: NCLEX: Physiological Integrity:
basic care and comfort
5. When the patient says, I can die happily if I can live long enough to see my first
grandchild that will be born next month. The nurse assesses that this patient is
experiencing Kbler-Rosss stage of:
a. denial.
b. bargaining.
c. anger.
d. depression.
ANS: B
Kbler-Rosss stages of coping with death include the bargaining stage in which the
person seeks the reward of extended life.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Comprehension REF: m 195, Table 15-1
OBJ: Theory #1 TOP: Stages of Coping with Death KEY:
Nursing Process Step: Assessment MSC: NCLEX: Psychosocial
Integrity: coping and adaptation
6. When the nurse notes an increase in the level of daily function in the terminal patient, the
nurse assesses that this patient has reached Kbler-Rosss level of:
a. yearning.
b. bargaining.
c. depression.
d. acceptance.
ANS: D
Kbler-Rosss stages of coping with death include the acceptance stage in which the
struggle is over, the pain is gone, and the patient has found peace. The patient
frequently demonstrates a heightened level of activity in his or her daily function
during this stage.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Comprehension REF: m 191 OBJ: Theory #1
TOP: Acceptance Stage KEY: Nursing Process Step:
