End-of-Life & Palliative Care Flashcards

After a patient dies, the aide is asked to provide postmortem care. Which step should be done FIRST?

Answer: Confirm the nurse has pronounced death and received direction

The aide must confirm that death has been pronounced and receive specific instructions from the nurse before beginning postmortem care.

A hospice patient tells the aide she is afraid of suffocating when she dies. The aide should:

Answer: Acknowledge her fear, listen, and report this concern to the nurse

Acknowledging fear with empathy and reporting it allows the nurse and team to address comfort measures for dyspnea.

Which of the following is a cultural consideration important in end-of-life care?

Answer: Some cultures prefer not to tell the patient about a terminal diagnosis

Cultural norms vary significantly around disclosure, grief expression, and rituals, and the care team must respect these differences.

A patient receiving palliative care has edema in her legs. The aide can BEST provide comfort by:

Answer: Elevating the legs as directed and reporting the observation

Elevating edematous limbs per the care plan and reporting findings are within the aide's scope and support comfort.

Which of the following statements about bereavement support is TRUE?

Answer: Hospice agencies are required to offer bereavement services to families for at least 13 months after the death

Medicare hospice guidelines require agencies to provide bereavement counseling to surviving family members for at least 13 months following the patient's death.

A dying patient's family member becomes verbally aggressive and blames the aide for the patient's decline. The aide should:

Answer: Remain calm, avoid arguing, and report the incident to the supervising nurse

Remaining calm, de-escalating, and reporting the behavior protects the aide and allows the care team to address the family's grief-driven distress.

Which of the following is TRUE about a patient's right to refuse treatment in end-of-life care?

Answer: A competent adult has the legal right to refuse any treatment, including life-sustaining measures

Competent adults have the constitutional and legal right to refuse any medical treatment, including interventions that could prolong life.