CHPNA Palliative Care Fundamentals 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which setting is NOT a common location for hospice care delivery?
- Patient's home
- Skilled nursing facility
- Emergency room (Correct answer)
- Inpatient hospice facility
Correct answer: Emergency room
Hospice care is typically provided in the home, nursing facilities, assisted living, or dedicated inpatient hospice units—not in emergency rooms.
Question 2: What is the role of the nursing assistant in hospice care?
- Prescribe medications
- Provide personal care, assist with ADLs, and report changes to the nurse (Correct answer)
- Diagnose new conditions
- Create care plans independently
Correct answer: Provide personal care, assist with ADLs, and report changes to the nurse
Hospice nursing assistants provide personal care, assist with activities of daily living, and report any observed changes in the patient's condition to the supervising nurse.
Question 3: What does 'comfort measures only' mean in a hospice plan of care?
- No medications are given
- Care is focused on relieving symptoms rather than curing disease (Correct answer)
- The patient receives no medical attention
- Family members provide all care
Correct answer: Care is focused on relieving symptoms rather than curing disease
Comfort measures only means the treatment plan focuses on alleviating symptoms and maximizing quality of life rather than pursuing curative interventions.
Question 4: Which Medicare benefit covers hospice services?
- Medicare Part A (Correct answer)
- Medicare Part B
- Medicare Part C
- Medicare Part D
Correct answer: Medicare Part A
Hospice services in the US are covered under Medicare Part A for eligible beneficiaries with a terminal prognosis of 6 months or less.
Question 5: A patient receiving hospice care asks about returning to curative treatment. What should the nursing assistant do?
- Tell the patient it is not allowed
- Ignore the request
- Report the request to the nurse or care team immediately (Correct answer)
- Contact the patient's insurance company
Correct answer: Report the request to the nurse or care team immediately
The nursing assistant should report the patient's request to the supervising nurse so the care team can discuss the patient's options, including the right to revoke hospice.
Question 6: What is 'respite care' in the context of hospice?
- Emergency treatment for the patient
- Short-term inpatient care to give the family caregiver a temporary rest (Correct answer)
- Spiritual counseling for the patient
- A type of pain medication
Correct answer: Short-term inpatient care to give the family caregiver a temporary rest
Respite care provides temporary inpatient care for the hospice patient so that the primary family caregiver can rest and recharge.
CHPNA Palliative Care Fundamentals 2
Which setting is NOT a common location for hospice care delivery?