Valenzio Quartera is a 56-year-old man with widely metastatic prostate cancer. He is currently undergoing radiation therapy for bone metastasis. His wife died one year ago from breast cancer. He curre

Valenzio Quartera is a 56-year-old man with widely metastatic prostate cancer. He is currently undergoing radiation therapy for bone metastasis. His wife died one year ago from breast cancer. He currently lives at home with his twin daughters, age

15 years. As you, the radiation oncology nurse, enter the treatment room, Mr. Quartera asks you, “Susie, you don’t think I’m going to die do you?” “What would happen to my daughters if I die?”

Discussion Questions:

1. How would you respond?

2. How would you address his concern about his daughters?

3. What would you recommend that he discuss with his daughters at this time?

4. What other members of the healthcare team would be appropriate to

contact to help Mr. Quartera with his daughters?