CHPN Cheat Sheet 2026

The 30 highest-yield CHPN facts, distilled from real exam questions. Print it, save it as a PDF, or study it here — free, no sign-up.

1. Which documentation practice BEST demonstrates regulatory compliance for CHPN certified professionals? → Maintaining organized, dated, and signed records of all activities
2. When a competent patient's wishes conflict with family demands in hospice care, the nurse should: → Honor the patient's expressed wishes as the primary decision-maker
3. What is the MOST important factor when selecting assessment tools for CHPN certification work? → Validity, reliability, and appropriateness for the specific context
4. When working with a family whose primary language is not English, the hospice nurse should: → Arrange for a professional medical interpreter for clinical conversations
5. A family member tells the nurse she wants to be listed as the patient's healthcare proxy, but the patient designated a friend in writing. The nurse should: → Honor the patient's written designation
6. A hospice patient reports that her pain is a 3/10 at rest but spikes to 8/10 with repositioning. This is best classified as: → Incident (movement-related) breakthrough pain
7. Why is cultural sensitivity important? → Respect diverse beliefs
8. Which of the following best describes the concept of 'total pain' as introduced by Dame Cicely Saunders? → The combined physical, psychological, social, and spiritual dimensions of suffering
9. A hospice patient reports burning, shooting pain radiating down the leg. This pain quality most suggests: → Neuropathic pain from nerve compression
10. Which factor is MOST important to assess when a patient requests hospice care at home? → Availability of a capable and willing primary caregiver
11. Which of the following is considered a late sign of approaching death? → Mandibular breathing (jaw breathing)
12. A patient wants to be kept comfortable but her son insists on hospitalization for IV nutrition. The nurse should: → Clarify and advocate for the patient's expressed comfort-focused goals
13. Who may provide spiritual support? → Chaplains or clergy
14. When conducting a spiritual assessment, which mnemonic tool is commonly used in palliative and hospice care? → FICA
15. What role does a healthcare proxy play? → Decision maker
16. What is the MOST important factor when selecting assessment tools for CHPN certification work? → Validity, reliability, and appropriateness for the specific context
17. Which medication is used to reduce respiratory secretions ('death rattle') in a dying patient? → Glycopyrrolate
18. A family caregiver is exhausted and tearful but insists on providing all personal care for the dying patient. The nurse's priority intervention is to: → Acknowledge the caregiver's dedication and assess for caregiver burden and respite needs.
19. How can grief be supported? → Bereavement support
20. In palliative sedation for refractory symptoms, which ethical principle most directly justifies its use? → Beneficence — relieving suffering outweighs the risk of hastening death
21. How frequently should ongoing assessments be conducted in Hospice Certified Professional practice? → At regular intervals and as conditions change
22. What is the role of corticosteroids such as dexamethasone in hospice symptom management? → Reduce inflammation, appetite stimulation, and relieve nausea and pain from pressure
23. In Hospice Certified Professional, what is the PRIMARY purpose of conducting regular safety drills and exercises? → To ensure personnel can respond effectively in emergencies
24. Which medication is used to treat opioid-induced pruritus in hospice patients? → Low-dose naloxone or nalbuphine
25. Which grief theory describes mourning as having 'tasks' rather than fixed stages that must be completed? → Worden's Task Model
26. A continuous subcutaneous infusion is prescribed for a hospice patient. Which drug combination is considered compatible in the same syringe driver? → Morphine and midazolam
27. Cheyne-Stokes respirations, commonly seen in the final days of life, are characterized by: → Alternating periods of apnea and hyperpnea in a crescendo-decrescendo pattern
28. What does 'life review' involve? → Discuss life memories
29. A hospice patient is experiencing opioid-induced constipation. Which medication is specifically FDA-approved for this indication? → Methylnaltrexone
30. A patient on a fentanyl transdermal patch develops fever. What clinical concern does this raise regarding pain management? → Fever increases transdermal fentanyl absorption, potentially causing toxicity