CHPN FREE Hospice and Palliative Nurse Trivia Questions and Answers 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which scale is specifically designed to assess pain in non-verbal or cognitively impaired hospice patients?
- PAINAD (Correct answer)
- Visual Analog Scale
- Numeric Rating Scale
- Brief Pain Inventory
Correct answer: PAINAD
The Pain Assessment in Advanced Dementia (PAINAD) scale uses behavioral observations to assess pain in patients who cannot self-report.
Question 2: What is the most appropriate nursing intervention for death rattle in an actively dying patient?
- Repositioning the patient and administering glycopyrrolate (Correct answer)
- Performing deep suctioning of the airway
- Initiating IV fluids to thin secretions
- Administering nebulized saline treatments
Correct answer: Repositioning the patient and administering glycopyrrolate
Repositioning and anticholinergic medications like glycopyrrolate are recommended to reduce death rattle while avoiding invasive suctioning.
Question 3: In hospice care, what does the concept of 'total pain' as described by Dame Cicely Saunders encompass?
- Physical, psychological, social, and spiritual suffering (Correct answer)
- Only physical and emotional pain
- Pain rated above 7 on a numeric scale
- Chronic pain lasting more than 6 months
Correct answer: Physical, psychological, social, and spiritual suffering
Dame Cicely Saunders' concept of total pain recognizes that suffering has physical, psychological, social, and spiritual dimensions that must all be addressed.
Question 4: Which of the following is a hallmark criterion for hospice eligibility under the Medicare benefit?
- A prognosis of six months or less if the disease runs its normal course (Correct answer)
- A diagnosis of terminal cancer only
- Failure of at least three treatment regimens
- Age 65 or older
Correct answer: A prognosis of six months or less if the disease runs its normal course
Medicare hospice eligibility requires physician certification that the patient has a life expectancy of six months or less if the illness follows its expected trajectory.
Question 5: What is the nurse's priority role when a hospice patient's family expresses guilt about choosing comfort care over aggressive treatment?
- Provide emotional support and normalize their feelings while reinforcing the patient's wishes (Correct answer)
- Suggest they reconsider curative treatment options
- Refer them immediately to a psychiatrist
- Avoid discussing the topic to prevent further distress
Correct answer: Provide emotional support and normalize their feelings while reinforcing the patient's wishes
The hospice nurse should validate the family's emotions, normalize guilt as a common response, and gently reinforce that the care plan honors the patient's expressed wishes.
Question 6: Which opioid is generally preferred for pain management in hospice patients with renal impairment?
- Hydromorphone (Correct answer)
- Morphine
- Codeine
- Meperidine
Correct answer: Hydromorphone
Hydromorphone is preferred in renal impairment because its metabolites are less neurotoxic than those of morphine, codeine, or meperidine.
CHPN FREE Hospice and Palliative Nurse Trivia Questions and Answers 3
Which scale is specifically designed to assess pain in non-verbal or cognitively impaired hospice patients?