A nurse is caring for a client who has been diagnosed with end-stage liver cancer. The nurse recognizes that which of the following responses is an indication that the client is in the denial phase of the grief process?

The correct answer is C. In this response, the client is demonstrating denial by refusing to accept the doctor's prognosis of having only a few months to live. This indicates an inability to acknowledge the severity of the situation, a common characteristic of the denial phase in the grief process. The client's belief that the doctor is exaggerating shows a defense mechanism to cope with the overwhelming truth. Options A, B, and D do not exemplify denial. Option A shows anger, Option B indicates depression, and Option D reflects acceptance and resignation, which are not characteristics of denial in the grief process.