Chapter 35: Loss, Death, and Palliative Care Touhy: Ebersole & Hess' Toward Healthy Aging, 9th Edition MULTIPLE CHOICE 1. Which behavior is characteristic of grief by a disenfranchised adult child in response to a
parent’s death following a lengthy, painful illness? a. Crying out loudly while invoking “God’s help” to go on with life b. Announcing to family members, “I’ve already grieved the loss.” c. Having difficulty even deciding what to wear to the funeral d. Going on a drinking binge instead of attending the funeral ANS: D
The individual is exhibiting disenfranchised grief since situations have distanced him or her from the family, making grieving openly impossible. Pathological grief begins with a normal grieving process, but obstacles interfere with a normal evolution toward adjustment, causing reactions to be exaggerated. Anticipatory grief is a response to a real or perceived loss before the loss occurs. Acute grief is a crisis; it is a syndrome of physical and psychological symptoms of distress, often accompanied by functional disruption. DIF: Cognitive Level: Applying REF: p. 486 TOP: Integrated Process: Teaching/Learning MSC: Client Needs: Psychosocial Integrity 2. When working with a bereaved individual, the goal of nursing interventions is to: a. assist the individual to go through the stages of grief work in the optimal order. b. assist the individual to attain a healthy adjustment to the loss experience. c. encourage the individual to talk about his or her feelings about the deceased
individual. d. offer support and advice about how to successfully achieve grief work. ANS: B
The goal of nursing interventions when working with bereaved individuals is to help them adjust in a healthy manner. There is no optimal order in which to experience grief. Not all individuals are able to talk about their feelings, nor is it helpful for everyone. The role of nursing is to offer support, but not advice. DIF: Cognitive Level: Understanding REF: p. 488 TOP: Integrated Process: Teaching/Learning MSC: Client Needs: Psychosocial Integrity 3. Which truism will the nurse base spousal grief counseling upon? a. Men are less likely to grieve the loss of a spouse. b. Women carry deeper attachments to their spouses than men do. c. Women are generally more likely to outlive their spouses. d. The male response to grief has been thoroughly studied and documented. ANS: C
