Posted by Rich Spurr on March 28, 1998 at 13:15:44:
In Reply to: Re: Final case study posted by Marilyn Lawrence on March 19, 1998 at 17:42:29:
: : : Do you think it was justified to lie or would you have handled the
: : : situation differently?
: : It is hard to say without personally experiencing the situation. Either way, she still loses her husband it is just a matter of a few minutes. Lying may give her some comfort in thinking that she was there for him in his last minutes. I don't see any harm in it although that doesn't make it right.
: I agree, lying is lying, but sometimes it can appear to be all right.
There is no excuse for lying to the woman about her husband. She has rights and they need to honored.
What the nursing home should do is notify her family first and allow them to with her when they tell her
what has just happened. If the nurse is a true professional, she will talk to the woman and the family
together and tell them all at the same time.