CHPN FREE Hospice and Palliative Nurse Questions and Answers 3

Question 1

Which medication is the preferred first-line treatment for opioid-induced constipation in hospice patients when traditional laxatives have failed?

Accepted Answer

Methylnaltrexone

Answer

Methylnaltrexone is a peripherally acting mu-opioid receptor antagonist that reverses opioid-induced constipation without crossing the blood-brain barrier or reversing analgesia.

Question 2

A hospice patient with advanced heart failure has a left ventricular assist device (LVAD). The patient and family decide to discontinue the device. What is the hospice nurse's priority action?

Accepted Answer

Ensure the interdisciplinary team has documented the informed consent discussion and coordinate a planned deactivation

Answer

LVAD deactivation requires documented informed consent, interdisciplinary coordination, and a planned approach with symptom management protocols in place.

Question 3

Which psychosocial intervention is most aligned with the hospice philosophy of care for a patient experiencing existential distress near end of life?

Accepted Answer

Dignity therapy

Answer

Dignity therapy is specifically designed for patients near end of life, focusing on legacy creation, meaning-making, and preserving a sense of purpose and worth.

Question 4

A hospice patient's family from a traditional Hmong background requests that the patient not be told about the terminal prognosis. How should the hospice nurse respond?

Accepted Answer

Respect the family's cultural values while exploring the patient's own wishes about receiving health information

Answer

Culturally competent care requires balancing respect for cultural norms around family-centered decision-making with the assessment of the patient's individual preferences for information disclosure.

Question 5

Which sign most reliably indicates that a hospice patient has entered the active dying phase rather than experiencing a reversible decline?

Accepted Answer

Mottling of the extremities with peripheral cyanosis

Answer

Mottling and peripheral cyanosis indicate cardiovascular collapse and circulatory shutdown, which are hallmark signs of the active dying process typically occurring in the final hours to days.

CHPN - Certified Hospice and Palliative Nurse Practice Test

CHPN - Certified Hospice and Palliative Nurse Practice Test

CHPN FREE Hospice and Palliative Nurse Questions and Answers 3