End-of-Life Care & Palliative Ministry Flashcards
7 cards from real ACC practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 End-of-Life Care & Palliative Ministry flashcards as text
The ethical principle of 'double effect' in end-of-life care addresses:
Answer: Giving medication whose primary intent is to relieve suffering, even if it may secondarily hasten death
The principle of double effect permits actions like high-dose pain medication whose primary intent is to relieve suffering, even when death may be an unintended secondary consequence.
A chaplain's role in bereavement care after a patient's death most appropriately includes:
Answer: Following up with families to offer spiritual support and connection to grief resources
Chaplains offer bereavement support through follow-up contact, rituals of remembrance, and referrals to grief support resources — extending care beyond the moment of death.
'Comfort measures only' (CMO) status in a care setting means:
Answer: All life-prolonging treatments are withdrawn and care focuses entirely on symptom relief
CMO status indicates the care team will focus on keeping the patient comfortable and free from distressing symptoms, without interventions aimed at prolonging life.
Which of the following best describes 'spiritual pain' at end of life?
Answer: A loss of meaning, hope, or felt connection that causes profound suffering
Spiritual pain involves suffering in the realm of meaning, purpose, hope, and relationship — a felt disconnection from God, self, or others that transcends physical sensation.
When conducting a spiritual history with a dying patient, the FICA tool assesses:
Answer: Faith, Importance of faith in life, Community, and how to Address faith in care
The FICA spiritual history tool assesses Faith (belief system), Importance (role of faith in life), Community (spiritual community connections), and Address (how to incorporate faith into care).
A chaplain notices a dying patient repeatedly says they feel like 'a burden' to their family. The most appropriate response is to:
Answer: Explore the patient's feelings further and affirm their inherent worth and dignity
Exploring feelings of being a burden allows the chaplain to address underlying shame, loss of identity, and existential suffering while affirming the patient's inherent dignity.
In end-of-life care, a chaplain's primary ethical obligation is to:
Answer: Respect and support the patient's own spiritual or religious identity and wishes
Professional chaplains are ethically committed to honoring each patient's unique spiritual identity and end-of-life wishes, regardless of the chaplain's own personal beliefs.