CHPN FREE Hospice and Palliative Nurse Trivia Questions and Answers 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which medication is most commonly used as a first-line treatment for dyspnea in hospice patients?
- Morphine (Correct answer)
- Lorazepam
- Dexamethasone
- Albuterol
Correct answer: Morphine
Low-dose morphine is the gold standard first-line pharmacologic treatment for dyspnea in hospice and palliative care.
Question 2: What is the primary purpose of the Palliative Performance Scale (PPS)?
- To measure functional status and disease progression (Correct answer)
- To assess pain intensity levels
- To determine medication dosages
- To evaluate caregiver burden
Correct answer: To measure functional status and disease progression
The PPS measures a patient's functional status across five domains to help estimate prognosis and guide care planning.
Question 3: A hospice patient exhibits mottling of the extremities, Cheyne-Stokes respirations, and decreased urine output. These signs most likely indicate what?
- Active dying phase (Correct answer)
- Medication toxicity
- Fluid overload
- Sepsis
Correct answer: Active dying phase
Mottling, irregular breathing patterns, and oliguria are classic signs that a patient has entered the active dying phase.
Question 4: Which ethical principle supports a patient's right to refuse life-sustaining treatment in hospice care?
- Autonomy (Correct answer)
- Beneficence
- Justice
- Nonmaleficence
Correct answer: Autonomy
Autonomy is the ethical principle that upholds a patient's right to make informed decisions about their own care, including refusing treatment.
Question 5: What is terminal sedation (palliative sedation) primarily indicated for in hospice care?
- Refractory symptoms unresponsive to standard palliative interventions (Correct answer)
- Patients who request euthanasia
- Family members who cannot cope with the dying process
- Patients with more than six months to live
Correct answer: Refractory symptoms unresponsive to standard palliative interventions
Palliative sedation is reserved for patients with intractable suffering from symptoms that have not responded to all other appropriate palliative measures.
Question 6: According to Medicare hospice benefit guidelines, how often must a patient be recertified for hospice eligibility?
- At the start of each benefit period (Correct answer)
- Every 30 days
- Every 6 months
- Annually
Correct answer: At the start of each benefit period
Medicare requires recertification at the beginning of each benefit period: two 90-day periods followed by unlimited 60-day periods.
CHPN FREE Hospice and Palliative Nurse Trivia Questions and Answers 2
Which medication is most commonly used as a first-line treatment for dyspnea in hospice patients?