NCLEX-PN® ExaminationCoordinated CareMedium
An LPN is assisting with the care of a client who has been diagnosed with a terminal illness and is making end-of-life decisions. The client asks the LPN, 'What would you do if you were in my shoes?' What is the MOST appropriate response by the LPN?
- AShare a personal anecdote about a family member who faced a similar decision.
- BReiterate that the decision is theirs and offer to clarify information or connect them with resources.
- CAdvise the client to follow the physician's recommendations, as they are the expert.
- DSuggest a specific course of action that the LPN believes is best for the client's spiritual well-being.
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: B. Reiterate that the decision is theirs and offer to clarify information or connect them with resources.
In situations involving end-of-life decisions, the LPN's role is to support client autonomy, not to impose personal opinions or influence the client's choice. Reaffirming the client's right to decide and offering to facilitate access to information or resources (e.g., chaplain, social worker) empowers the client to make informed decisions consistent with their values.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. Sharing personal stories shifts the focus from the client to the LPN and can inappropriately influence the client's decision.
- C. While physician recommendations are important, telling the client to simply follow them undermines their autonomy and right to make their own choices.
- D. Suggesting a specific course of action, especially based on spiritual well-being, is outside the LPN's scope and can be seen as imposing personal beliefs.
Ethical Practice: Client Autonomy
The ethical principle that respects an individual's right to make their own decisions about their healthcare, free from coercion or undue influence.
- Central to informed consent and end-of-life care.
- Requires clients to be competent to make decisions.
- Nurses advocate for client's right to self-determination.
Memory trick: Autonomy's core is choice; clarify, connect, keep quiet.