Which intervention takes priority for the patient receiving hospice care?

A) Turning and repositioning the patient every 2 hours
B) Assisting the patient out of bed into a chair twice a day
C) Administering pain medication to keep the patient comfortable
D) Providing the patient with small frequent, nutritious meals

A priority intervention for the hospice team is administering pain medications to keep the patient comfortable.Turning the patient to prevent skin breakdown and promote comfort is also important,but it does not take priority over administering pain medications.The patient may not be able to eat meals or get out of bed into the chair and may tolerate only small amounts at a meal.During the dying process,bowel activity reduces and digestion is minimal,which often results in nausea or food intolerance.Additionally,the body's need for nutrition and hydration is reduced as the body begins the desiccation process.