situation very professionally.

situation very professionally.

Jessica handles this situation very professionally. She gently communicates to Roger and his family the reality of the progressive nature of Roger’s disease. She tries to put aside her own emotions during the discussion. Jessica asks open ended questions and empathetically listens to his responses, giving him positive, affirming non-verbal feedback. In doing this, she is gathering information to help her navigate this ethical dilemma. This end-of-life discussion was carried out subtly, tactfully, and at length over multiple visits to the patient in his own home.
These home visits are themselves an example of the NP as a disruptive innovator. Traditional medicine as practiced today takes place in a clinical setting or a tertiary care center (Hamric, Hanson, Tracy, O’Grady, 2014). Jessica provides a service that is outside of the status quo by delivering superb patient-centered primary care in the patient’s own home.

I feel I would handle this situation in the same manner. I believe that it is a fundamental right for people facing terminal illness to decide their own fate. However, I also believe that fear of death and the unknown that follows too often drives these decisions. I believe my role is to reassure, encourage, and help relieve this fear so the patient can feel at peace with a decision that reflects the reality of their situation.

Hamric, A., Hanson, C., Tracy, M.F., O’Grady, E. (2014). Advanced Practice Nursing:

An Integrative Approach, Fifth Edition. St. Louis, Missouri: Elsevier Sanders.