After completing an assessment, the nurse supports an older client who wants to discuss advance directives with the family. What action is the nurse performing?

After completing an assessment, the nurse supports an older client who wants to discuss advance directives with the family. What action is the nurse performing?

• A. Facilitating palliative care
• B. Educating the family on healthcare services
• C. Collaborating with the interdisciplinary team
• D. Advocating for client's rights and autonomy

Answer: (D)

The key idea is honoring the patient’s right to self-determination. By supporting the older client who wants to discuss advance directives with the family, the nurse is advocating for the client’s autonomy—helping the client express their future care wishes and ensuring those wishes are understood and respected, even with family involvement. This involves facilitating a conversation that clarifies what the client wants for future medical decisions and may lead to documents that guide care if the client can’t speak for themselves later. While related, other actions aren’t centered on the patient’s autonomous choices in this moment: facilitating palliative care focuses on comfort and symptom management; educating the family on healthcare services covers general information rather than the client’s specific wishes; and collaborating with the interdisciplinary team is a broader process, not the direct advocacy for the client’s personal directives.

The key idea is honoring the patient’s right to self-determination. By supporting the older client who wants to discuss advance directives with the family, the nurse is advocating for the client’s autonomy—helping the client express their future care wishes and ensuring those wishes are understood and respected, even with family involvement. This involves facilitating a conversation that clarifies what the client wants for future medical decisions and may lead to documents that guide care if the client can’t speak for themselves later.

While related, other actions aren’t centered on the patient’s autonomous choices in this moment: facilitating palliative care focuses on comfort and symptom management; educating the family on healthcare services covers general information rather than the client’s specific wishes; and collaborating with the interdisciplinary team is a broader process, not the direct advocacy for the client’s personal directives.