A nurse is caring for a patient who needs constant care in the home setting and for whom most of the care is provided by the patient's family. Which action should the nurse take to help relieve stress?

A) Encourage caregiver to do as much as possible.
B) Focus primarily on the patient.
C) Point out weaknesses.
D) Provide education.

Providing education to the family and caregiver helps relieve some of the stress of caregiving. Help the family focus on their strengths instead of on problems and weaknesses. While caregivers desire to care for the loved one, they often feel extreme pressure to do everything; therefore, encouraging the caregiver to do more will add stress. Focusing primarily on the patient will not be beneficial; the entire family is the patient.