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
A patient with terminal cancer requests that cardiopulmonary resuscitation not be performed. Which document legally records this wish in most US states?
Answer: POLST (Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment)
A POLST form is a portable, signed medical order that is immediately actionable by EMS and medical personnel across care settings.
When converting a patient from oral morphine to an equianalgesic dose of IV morphine, the correct conversion ratio is:
Answer: 3:1 (oral to IV)
The equianalgesic ratio for oral to IV morphine is 3:1, meaning 30 mg oral morphine equals approximately 10 mg IV morphine.
Which symptom cluster is MOST characteristic of the active dying phase in the final 24-48 hours of life?
Answer: Mottling, Cheyne-Stokes respirations, and decreased consciousness
Mottling of the extremities, irregular breathing patterns, and decreased consciousness are hallmark signs of imminent death.
A hospice patient develops terminal restlessness (terminal agitation). The MOST appropriate pharmacologic intervention is:
Answer: Haloperidol or midazolam
Haloperidol addresses delirium-related agitation and midazolam provides sedation for refractory terminal restlessness.
Which statement BEST describes the goal of palliative sedation in refractory symptom management?
Answer: To reduce consciousness to the level needed to relieve intractable suffering
Palliative sedation is titrated to the minimum level of sedation necessary to achieve patient comfort, not to cause death.
An interdisciplinary team (IDT) meeting in hospice is required by Medicare at minimum how often?
Answer: Every 15 days
Medicare Conditions of Participation require the IDT to review and update each patient's plan of care at least every 15 days.
A patient's family asks about using medical marijuana for pain control alongside the hospice plan of care. The BEST hospice nurse response is:
Answer: Discuss state law, document use, and monitor for drug interactions with current medications
Nurses should educate families on state-specific legality, ensure transparent documentation, and monitor for interactions — a patient-centered, nonjudgmental approach.