Patient and Family Communication Flashcards

HIPAA in hospice care requires the nursing assistant to:

Answer: Protect patient privacy and only share information on a need-to-know basis

HIPAA requires all healthcare workers, including nursing assistants, to protect patient health information and only share it with authorized individuals for care purposes.

A family member asks the nursing assistant to share the patient's prognosis. The nursing assistant should:

Answer: Refer the family member to the nurse or physician for clinical questions

Clinical information about prognosis is outside the nursing assistant's scope of practice and should be directed to the nurse or physician.

What does 'anticipatory grief' mean?

Answer: Grief experienced before a death occurs, as family and patients prepare for loss

Anticipatory grief is the mourning process that begins before a death occurs, as patients and families begin coping with the anticipated loss.

Which factor can make communication more challenging in hospice care?

Answer: Cultural differences, language barriers, and altered consciousness

Cultural differences, language barriers, cognitive changes, and altered states of consciousness can all make effective communication more challenging in hospice.

When speaking with a patient who has difficulty hearing, the nursing assistant should:

Answer: Speak clearly, face the patient, and use simple gestures or written notes if needed

Speaking clearly, facing the patient, reducing background noise, and using alternative communication methods like written notes helps ensure effective communication.

Bereavement care by the hospice nursing assistant primarily involves:

Answer: Offering condolences, a listening ear, and connecting the family to bereavement resources

The nursing assistant can support bereaved families by offering sincere condolences, compassionate listening, and referring them to the hospice bereavement counselor.