A nurse is assessing a group of clients. For which of the following clients should the nurse make a referral to palliative care?

Rationale: A. A client who is newly diagnosed with type 1 diabetes mellitus and cannot afford insulin: This situation requires case management or social work referral to assist with access to medications and insurance. It does not indicate the need for palliative care, as diabetes is a chronic condition that can be managed effectively with proper support. B. A client who has Meniere’s disease and cannot safely ambulate due to vertigo: While vertigo significantly affects quality of life, it is not life-limiting. This client would benefit more from physical therapy, home safety evaluation, and symptom management, rather than palliative care services. C. A client who had a stroke and cannot eat or drink without choking: This client may need speech therapy, nutritional support, or possibly enteral feeding, but not necessarily palliative care unless their overall prognosis is poor or complications are expected to worsen. D. A client whose medications to manage Parkinson’s disease are no longer effective: Palliative care is appropriate for clients with progressive, life-limiting illnesses like advanced Parkinson’s disease, especially when symptoms can no longer be adequately controlled with standard treatments. It focuses on comfort, quality of life, and support for complex symptom management.