Deck 21: Accepting Dying and Death

Question 1

The proportion of Americans who die in health care institutions is about ____ percent.

A) 50
B) 60
C) 70
D) 80

Answer 1

80

Question 2

How have advances in medical technology affected our definition of death? They have

A) revealed that there is no such thing as the "moment" of death.
B) made the moment of death harder to define than in years past.
C) shown us that death cannot be identified without sophisticated equipment.
D) enabled us to more precisely mark the moment of death than in years past.

Answer 2

made the moment of death harder to define than in years past.

Question 3

Clinical determinants of death include all of the following EXCEPT

A) an irregular heartbeat.
B) complete lack of central nervous system function.
C) complete lack of heartbeat and breathing.
D) the presence of rigor mortis.

Answer 3

an irregular heartbeat.

Question 4

Cellular death is identified by

A) an electroencephalograph.
B) lack of breathing.
C) loss of heartbeat.
D) the presence of rigor mortis.

Question 5

Thirty-eight-year-old Benito has been told that he has inoperable cancer, and he feels now that God has cheated him out of a full life. Which of Kü bler-Ross's stages of dying is he experiencing?

A) anger
B) denial
C) bargaining
D) depression

Question 6

The first stage that dying people typically experience is

A) anger.
B) denial.
C) depression.
D) acceptance.

Question 7

Which of the following BEST illustrates Kü bler-Ross's emotional stage of acceptance by a terminally ill person? The person

A) becomes withdrawn and moody.
B) refuses to believe that it is happening to him
C) seems to be neither happy nor sad about the situation.
D) freely expresses frustration and disappointment about his situation.

Question 8

Which of the following statements about Kü bler-Ross's emotional stages of dying is MOST accurate?

A) The stages are common, but are moved through unpredictably by individuals.
B) Everyone goes through these stages, but not in the same fashion.
C) Everyone goes through these stages, but not always in the same order.
D) The more exceptional a person's life, the more his or her emotions will vary from Kü bler-Ross's pattern.

Question 9

Among those people who are closest to a dying person, it has been observed that

A) more than half maintain a powerful denial almost to the end.
B) many go through the same emotional stages as the dying person.
C) their other relationships tend to weaken as they draw near to the dying person.
D) communication with the dying person usually decreases steadily until he or she dies.

Question 10

The main purpose of a living will is to

A) keep control of your own health care as long as possible.
B) improve your care should you suffer a fatal illness.
C) allow a person to die naturally, without receiving life-sustaining treatments.
D) specify who should inherit your estate.

Question 11

The main idea of durable power of attorney for health care is to

A) protect your estate from family members while you are sick.
B) choose a trusted person who can make health care decisions for you.
C) keep control of your health care decisions even when you are incapacitated.
D) declare under what circumstances heroic health care measures should be taken for you.

Question 12

An accident victim has been kept on a respirator, heart beating, in a deep coma. Doctors now say the victim is brain dead, and the family tells the doctors to remove the respirator. Without respiration the patient's heart stops. Is the act of removing the respirator euthanasia and, if so, what type? It is

A) not euthanasia, because the victim was considered dead.
B) not euthanasia, because the victim's heart might have continued beating after the respirator was
Removed.
C) active euthanasia, because the person was only considered dead when the heart stopped beating, and this action caused the heart to stop.
D) passive euthanasia, because the person was only considered dead when the heart stopped beating, but this action was not the real cause of death.

Question 13

A common experience shared by those who have had near death experiences is

A) facing judgment.
B) being lifted up by angels.
C) assuming a different identity.
D) experiencing a sense of well-being and peace.

Question 14

The scientific explanation for near-death experiences is that they

A) can neither verify or deny the experience.
B) correlate positively with alpha wave activity in deep coma patients.
C) are truly spiritual experiences, because subjects met the clinical definitions of death.
D) are unexplained at present, but will become better understood as brain mapping techniques advance.

Question 15

The best advice for interacting with a dying person is to be

A) optimistic.
B) energetic.
C) cautious.
D) honest.

Question 16

Three-year-old Jeffrey's father has just died. The best way to communicate with Jeffrey is to tell him

A) that Daddy died and isn't coming back.
B) that Daddy went to sleep.
C) that Daddy went away.
D) nothing.

Question 17

All of the following are ways to include a child when a loved one has died EXCEPT

A) taking the child to the funeral and helping her understand and accept death.
B) being honest and straightforward with the child
C) using age appropriate language.
D) not crying or showing your feelings in front of the child.

Question 18

The BEST strategy for communicating your concern to a family that has lost a child is to

A) assure them that the death is part of a master plan.
B) come and express your sorrow over their loss.
C) avoid discussing the child.
D) send a card first.

Question 19

Pam was well into her pregnancy when the unborn child suddenly miscarried, and she is grieving. As her friend, the best thing you can do is

A) avoid mentioning the situation when you are with her.
B) assure her that miscarriages are common.
C) give her some time to be alone.
D) be sympathetic and supportive.

Question 20

Of the following, the BEST advice for coping with the death of one's child is to

A) give the child's possessions to other loved ones or a worthwhile charity.
B) try to have another child as soon as possible.
C) avoid major changes in your lives.
D) not dwell on the child's death.

Question 21

More than other types of loss, the death of a parent often affects one's

A) psychological stability.
B) sense of security.
C) daily routines.
D) sense of guilt.

Question 22

The main reason why the death of a spouse is usually more severe than other types of loss is because it

A) has such a heavy financial impact.
B) usually catches people unprepared.
C) causes far more legal complications than other losses.
D) affects so many aspects of the surviving spouse's life.

Question 23

The main purpose of hospice care is to

A) provide a quasi-hospital setting for terminally ill patients.
B) permit people to die comfortably and with dignity.
C) keep down hospital costs.
D) control pain.

Question 24

Hospices are unique in their emphasis on

A) acute pain.
B) chronic pain.
C) care given to the survivors.
D) psychosomatic pain.

Question 25

The difference between grief and mourning is that

A) mourning precedes grief.
B) grief is a type of mourning
C) mourning is a process of experiencing grief in a culturally defined manner.
D) grief is an unhealthy reaction, while mourning is a healthy reaction.

Question 26

Which of the following BEST describes an epitaph?

A) a memorial speech delivered at a person's funeral
B) a brief announcement about a person's death
C) an inscription that appears on a gravestone
D) a newspaper summary of a person's life

Question 27

Margaret's husband died suddenly, and Margaret is torn by guilt over the times that she criticized or neglected him in the days before his death. Margaret's daughter wants to know if it is OK for her to feel this way. What is your BEST reply?

A) Guilt is an abnormal reaction unless the death was sudden, so Margaret is OK.
B) If feelings of guilt persist, suggest Margaret seek counseling to deal with these feelings.
C) Guilt is an unusual reaction, but not an unreasonable one.
D) Guilt is always a normal part of the grieving experience.

Question 28

Both direct and indirect euthanasia are illegal in the United States.

Question 29

Indirect euthanasia occurs when an action makes death inevitable, even though the action itself does no harm.

Question 30

Near-death experiences commonly feature a sense of peace and well-being.

Question 31

Honesty is the best quality to display to a dying person.

Question 32

It is unusual for women to feel grief after a miscarriage.

Question 33

Miscarriages, abortions, and stillbirths all commonly result in a period of grieving.

Question 34

Parents who have lost a child should avoid major life changes until they have properly grieved.

Question 35

For parents of a child who dies in infancy, it is usually helpful to have another baby as soon as possible.

Question 36

In hospice care, quality of life is more important than treatment of disease.

Question 37

Patients are encouraged to make their own treatment decisions in hospice care.

Question 38

It is not unusual for grief to cause physical discomfort in many people.

Question 39

Delayed grief is a sign that grief is causing a psychological dysfunction.

Question 40

When you are with grieving people, try to help them keep their minds off their grief.

Question 41

In the United States, most full funeral services include embalming and a wake or visitation.

Question 42

List the common criteria for declaration of death.

Question 43

Give an example of direct (active) euthanasia and an example of indirect (passive) euthanasia.

Question 44

List and briefly describe Kü bler-Ross's five emotional stages of dying.

Question 45

In what major ways does hospice care differ from hospital care?

Question 46

Describe the options commonly available for the disposition of a dead body.