A nurse is employed by a hospital-based palliative care team that includes a physician, a pharmacist, and a social worker. The practical nurse is supporting the family of Mrs. Haliburton, who is terminally ill with stomach cancer and has chosen to die at home. The family asks the nurse how they will know death is imminent. What should the nurse respond?

A. Death is imminent when the patient stops eating.
B. When the patient's body temperature drops significantly.
C. You will notice increased respiratory secretions and changes in breathing patterns.
D. When the patient expresses a desire to die.

The nurse should inform the family that increased respiratory secretions and changes in breathing patterns are signs that death is imminent, which is also known as the death rattle.

Explanation:

The family of Mrs. Haliburton, who is terminally ill with stomach cancer, has asked how they will know when death is imminent.

The nurse should explain that there are certain signs that can indicate the approach of death. The most accurate response to the family would be C. You will notice increased respiratory secretions and changes in breathing patterns.

This is known as the death rattle and is a common sign that the end of life is near. While a patient stopping eating (A) might suggest a decline in condition, it is not as immediate an indicator of death. A significant drop in body temperature (B) can be a sign of impending death but may also occur in various health conditions.

And while the expression of a desire to die (D) can be part of the psychological stages of accepting death, it is not a clinical sign of immediate death.