Lesson 7 Care of the Dying Client
Care administered at the end of life focuses on the client’s and family’s physical and psychosocial needs. The healthcare team must treat the end of life with as much compassion and dignity as the beginning of life. The end-of-life experience differs for each client and depends upon their preferences, needs, and choices. Some clients prefer to be at home at the end of life, while others may seek treatment in a hospital or facility.
Goals of end of life Care =
1.Provide comfort and supportive care during the dying process.
2.Improve the quality of the clients remaining life.
3.Help ensure a dignified death
4.Provide emotional support for the family
If the client is alert, complete a brief review of body systems to understand the extent of the disease process and establish a relationship between you and the client. Ask open-ended questions to understand the client’s expectations of care (Sinha et al., 2023). Ask questions regarding their pain level, if they are nauseous or have an appetite, any discomfort they may be experiencing, or trouble with breathing. Other important information to gather includes their issues or abilities for elimination, sleep or resting patterns, and stress response.
The physical and psychosocial needs of a dying client can change rapidly. Caregivers may notice the individual becomes less interested in their surroundings. As death becomes imminent, breathing patterns and rate will change, and there may be periods of apnea. As the body processes slow, secretions will begin to collect in the lungs and throat, commonly resulting in a rattling cough that sounds very distressing. Interventions can ease this sound; however, it does not cause physical discomfort to the dying individual. Additional signs and symptoms of decline vary based on specific client conditions.
A client near death may seem withdrawn from their physical environment, maintaining their ability to hear but unable to respond. It is important to remind the family to communicate with the client as if they were still alert, using a soft voice and gentle touch.
Anxiety and depressionare common during the end-of-life process. Both are frequently related to fear. Use therapeutic communication, therapeutic touch, and innate compassion for the client to develop a sense of security.
Pain and discomfort at the end of life are often under-recognized and undertreated. Physical signs of pain can include facial grimacing, restlessness, tachypnea, and tachycardia. The cornerstone of efficient pain management includes round-the-clock assessment and intervention (Sinha et al., 2023).
An individual’s spirituality should be addressed and respected at the end of life. At the end of life, clients often question their beliefs about a higher power, their journey through life, religion, and an afterlife. As nurses, it is crucial to assess the client’s and family’s preferences for religious assistance and guidance through this process and to respect their decisions. Spirituality is associated with decreased despair in clients at the end of life. Many turn to their beliefs at this time to bring a sense of peace and certainty.
Chamberlain University College of Nursing. (2024). NR-305 Week 7: Care of the grieving family [Online lesson]. Chamberlain University.
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Answer all questions below with explanations and details.
Paragraph one: How does providing nursing care at the end of life impact the emotional well-being and resilience of nurses, and what strategies can be used to support their mental and emotional health?
Paragraph two: How would you approach an assessment differently if you were providing end-of-life care to a client and family who have unresolved family conflict and tension?
Paragraph three: Reflect on the care needs of clients and families at the end of life in your practice setting. How can you integrate the principles of client-centered care and end-of-life nursing assessment introduced in the week 7 lessons into your nursing practice? You may respond using a former work setting or clinical experience if you are not currently practicing at the bedside.
For the last question, above is the lesson 7 key points of end of life center care and assessment, you can use for this question. It has to be as an ICU nurse point of view. Can take a few sentences out of this article and in text citation in each. Thanks!