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Symptom Management Flashcards

6 cards from real OCN practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.

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  1. Dyspnea in a patient with lung cancer should first be assessed for which reversible cause?

    Answer: Pleural effusion

    Pleural effusion is a common, treatable cause of dyspnea in lung cancer patients and should be assessed and drained if present.

  2. Which assessment tool is recommended by ONS for routine screening of cancer symptom burden?

    Answer: Edmonton Symptom Assessment System (ESAS)

    The Edmonton Symptom Assessment System (ESAS) is a validated, multi-symptom tool widely endorsed for routine oncology symptom screening.

  3. Hypercalcemia of malignancy is most commonly caused by which mechanism?

    Answer: Parathyroid hormone-related protein (PTHrP) secreted by the tumor

    Most cancer-related hypercalcemia is caused by PTHrP secreted by tumors, which mimics PTH and drives osteoclast-mediated bone resorption.

  4. A patient with bone metastases reports sudden inability to void and new lower extremity weakness. The nurse should suspect:

    Answer: Spinal cord compression — a medical emergency

    Urinary retention combined with new lower extremity weakness in a patient with bone metastases signals spinal cord compression, requiring emergent imaging and intervention.

  5. For cancer pain management, the WHO analgesic ladder recommends starting with which class for mild pain?

    Answer: Non-opioid analgesics (e.g., acetaminophen, NSAIDs)

    The WHO analgesic ladder begins with non-opioid analgesics for mild pain (Step 1) and escalates to opioids only as pain severity increases.

  6. Radiation-induced skin reactions are graded using which system in oncology practice?

    Answer: NCI Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE)

    The NCI CTCAE provides standardized grading of radiation dermatitis from Grade 1 (faint erythema) to Grade 4 (skin necrosis), guiding intervention.

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