Basic Questions Flashcards
7 cards from real CHPN practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Basic Questions flashcards as text
Which ethical principle is MOST central to hospice philosophy when a patient refuses a recommended intervention?
Answer: Autonomy
Autonomy — the patient's right to self-determination — is the cornerstone of hospice care and guides respect for treatment refusals.
A patient's oxygen saturation is 84% but they report feeling comfortable. What is the priority hospice nursing action?
Answer: Assess and document the patient's subjective comfort level
In palliative care, symptom burden and subjective comfort are prioritized over objective vital-sign targets.
What is the maximum Medicare Hospice Benefit continuous home care daily rate designed to address?
Answer: Short-term crisis management of acute symptoms at home
Continuous home care provides intensive nursing during brief medical crises to keep the patient at home rather than in a facility.
Which medication class is first-line for neuropathic pain in palliative care patients?
Answer: Tricyclic antidepressants or SNRIs
TCAs (e.g., amitriptyline) and SNRIs (e.g., duloxetine) are evidence-based first-line adjuvants for neuropathic pain.
A family member insists the hospice nurse 'do something' when the patient stops eating near death. The BEST response is:
Answer: Explain that decreased intake is a normal part of the dying process
Educating families that anorexia near death is physiologic and normal reduces distress and prevents harmful interventions.
Under the Medicare Hospice Benefit, which professional is responsible for certifying that the patient's life expectancy is six months or less?
Answer: The attending physician and hospice medical director
Medicare requires certification by both the attending physician and the hospice medical director before benefit enrollment.
Which nonpharmacological intervention is MOST supported by evidence for reducing dyspnea in palliative care?
Answer: A fan directing cool air toward the face
A handheld fan directed at the face stimulates trigeminal nerve receptors and has strong evidence for reducing the sensation of breathlessness.