[Verified Answer]: Ms

Ms. Loretto is one of your favorite clients in the memory care unit. She recently had a stroke and is on moderately thick liquids due to aspiration risk. Every morning, you bring Ms. Loretto her coffee and thoroughly enjoy your visits with her. Today, she is crying and asks you for her “real coffee”. She refuses to drink the thickened products and her fluid intake has declined since her diet order change. She is crying and asking you to please give her “just a few sips” of the coffee from your cart. You are concerned about her hydration status and feel like it would be fine to give her some regular coffee if you sit with her while she drinks it. If you choose to offer her thin coffee, are you violating the ethical principles? What are the risks of Ms. Loretto drinking the thin/normal coffee? How can you appropriately respond to Ms. Loretto?