Deck 14: Health Promotion Through the End of Life

Question 1

Palliative care is usually considered in three stages: early, middle, and late.

Answer 1

False

Question 2

Palliative care seeks to improve the quality of life of patients with life-threatening illness through early identification, impeccable assessment, and treatment of pain and other problems.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

All terminal illnesses, regardless of length, follow the same illness trajectory.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

Living Wills and Durable Power of Attorney are:

A) examples of advance directives.
B) best not spoken of in front of patients, for fear of upsetting or offending them.
C) legal documents initiated by next-of-kin after the death of a loved one.
D) usually shared by most patients with their health-care providers.

Question 5

To be of most help to patients who are dying and their families, nurses must:

A) keep abreast of the latest trends and findings associated with end-of-life issues.
B) examine their own feelings, thoughts, and beliefs about death and dying.
C) incorporate all aspects of best practices in promoting health.
D) all of the above

Question 6

Which of the following statements reflects an abnormal experience of grief?

A) Panic attacks
B) Fatigue, nausea, and lowered immunity
C) Guilt
D) None of the above

Question 7

Losing flexibility as one ages is considered what kind of loss?

A) Physical loss
B) Actual loss
C) Loss of aspect of self
D) Both a and c

Question 8

The state of being deprived of something or someone is known as:

A) loss.
B) grief.
C) bereavement.
D) mourning.

Question 9

The major cause of death in the 21st century was acute infections.

Question 10

Eighty percent of hospice care occurs outside of a hospital setting.

Question 11

The modern hospice movement began in the early 1900s with the establishment of St. Christopher's Hospice near London.

Question 12

Mr. Tybeck has learned that his wife has a fast-growing brain tumor. Faced with very little hope for a positive outcome, all he can think is, "Please God, I will never be angry at my wife again if you'll just let her live." My Tybeck's thinking is an example of:

A) the first task of grieving described by Worden.
B) bargaining, as described by Kubler-Ross.
C) bargaining, as described by Bowlby.
D) shock and numbness, as described by Bowlby.

Question 13

Because death happens to everyone, the definition of "good death" is universally accepted, regardless of culture.

Question 14

National guidelines recommend advance care planning for patients with terminal illness and life expectancy of less than 6 months.

Question 15

Which of the following statements is NOT one of the twelve principles of a "good death"?

A) To have choice and control over where death occurs
B) To free oneself from deciding who can or cannot be present at the end
C) To be able to issue advance directives that ensure wishes are respected
D) To know when death is coming and to understand what can be expected

Question 16

Which of the following statements is a myth surrounding hospice?

A) The patient's personal physician frequently works with an interdisciplinary hospice team of professionals.
B) The expense of hospice is rarely covered by private insurers, Medicare, or Medicaid.
C) Hospice services are available to patients with any terminal illness, regardless of their religion or spirituality.
D) The major focus of hospice is caring, not curing.

Question 17

Taking only sips of fluids and no longer being able to swallow pills have been found to be predictive factors for life expectancy.

Question 18

After months of chemotherapy for breast cancer with no significant results, Mrs. Selbinco has decided that she can no longer cope with the nausea and other unpleasant side effects of the treatment. Knowing her prognosis, she has none-the-less declined any further treatment. Mrs. Selbinco:

A) is moving from the early palliative phase to the late palliative phase of the illness trajectory.
B) is exiting from the late palliative phase of her illness.
C) is moving from the early palliative phase to the middle palliative phase of the illness trajectory.
D) is exiting the curative phase and entering the early palliative phase of the illness trajectory.

Question 19

Due to advances in pain treatment, almost 98% of all pain problems can be relieved or reduced.

Question 20

Candace's husband, Theo, is dying of cancer. Although she knows he is suffering and he welcomes the relief of death, Candace worries. How will she get along without him? Candace is experiencing:

A) psychological loss.
B) ambiguous loss.
C) perceived loss.
D) anticipatory loss.