Adult-Gerontology CNS Test Palliative Care & End-of-Life 3

Question 1

Which statement best distinguishes palliative care from hospice care?

Accepted Answer

Palliative care can be provided at any stage alongside curative treatment; hospice requires forgoing curative treatment

Answer

Palliative care is only for cancer patients; hospice is for any terminal illness

Answer

Hospice can be provided alongside curative treatment; palliative care cannot

Answer

Palliative care requires a prognosis of 6 months or less; hospice does not

Question 2

A patient with terminal illness completes a living will. What does this document specify?

Accepted Answer

The patient's specific wishes regarding medical treatments if they cannot speak for themselves

Answer

Who will manage the patient's finances after death

Answer

Which family member is the legal healthcare proxy

Answer

The physician's orders for resuscitation status

Question 3

From an ethical standpoint, which of the following is true regarding withholding versus withdrawing life-sustaining treatment?

Accepted Answer

Both are ethically equivalent when the patient or surrogate consents

Answer

Withdrawing treatment is morally worse than withholding it

Answer

Withholding treatment is morally worse than withdrawing it

Answer

Withdrawing treatment is never legally permissible

Question 4

A family insists that 'everything be done' for their dying father, conflicting with his previously stated wishes to avoid aggressive interventions. The CNS's best initial response is to:

Accepted Answer

Facilitate a family meeting to explore their concerns, clarify goals of care, and discuss the patient's documented wishes

Answer

Comply with the family's request to avoid conflict

Answer

Consult the ethics committee immediately without speaking to the family

Answer

Enforce the patient's advance directive without engaging the family

Question 5

Which of the following best describes anticipatory grief in the context of end-of-life care?

Accepted Answer

Grief experienced before an expected loss, during the illness

Answer

Grief that occurs after the patient has died

Answer

Grief that is pathological and requires psychiatric treatment

Answer

Grief experienced only by the patient, not the family

Question 6

The Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment (POLST) form is best described as:

Accepted Answer

A set of actionable medical orders regarding CPR, hospitalization, and artificial nutrition

Answer

A legal document designating a healthcare proxy

Answer

A patient's written statement of general values and goals

Answer

A billing document for hospice services

Question 7

Which intervention has the strongest evidence for reducing caregiver burden in families of patients receiving end-of-life care?

Accepted Answer

Structured psychoeducation and support programs combined with respite care

Answer

Prescribing anxiolytics to all caregivers prophylactically

Answer

Limiting the caregiver's time at the bedside

Answer

Encouraging caregivers to avoid discussing the illness with the patient