An 89-year-old client recently lost his wife of 69 years to cancer. He

QUESTION

An 89-year-old client recently lost his wife of 69 years to cancer. He reports “I had the strangest thing happen to me last night. I woke up and saw my wife sitting in her chair.” The nurse’s best response would be:

a. “How long have you been hallucinating?”
b. “Hallucinations are often caused by disturbance in brain chemicals.”
c. “Hearing or seeing things that are not real can be a normal response to extreme stress.”
d. “I recommend you speak to your doctor to review your medications.”

ANSWER:

ANS: C
In the shock and disbelief phase, a newly bereaved person may feel alienated or detached from normal—”literally numb with shock; no tears, no feelings, just absolute numbness.” Seeing or hearing the lost person, or sensing his or her presence, is a normal, temporary altered sensory experience related to the loss, which should not be confused with psychotic hallucinations.