Over the course of two weeks, the hospice nurse and social worker receive separate calls from two adult children of a terminally ill resident on service who lives at a local skilled nursing facility (SNF). On the calls, the resident's children express frustration that the resident's and family's goals of care are not consistently being supported by various actions of the nursing home staff. The nurse's BEST initial course of action would be to

While involving the SNF Ombudsman can be a valid step for advocacy, it may escalate the situation unnecessarily and does not directly address the immediate concerns of care. The nurse should first seek to resolve the issues collaboratively before involving external parties.

Although contacting the Director of Nursing might bring attention to the issues, it does not foster a collaborative solution. The nurse should first engage with the interdisciplinary team to address the family's concerns collectively, promoting a more integrated response.

While family advocacy is important, this option places the burden on the family without addressing the underlying issues. It is more effective for the nurse to facilitate a collaborative discussion among the care team and the family to ensure everyone is aligned on the care goals.