Family and Caregiver Support in Palliative Care Flashcards
6 cards from real ACHPN practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 Family and Caregiver Support in Palliative Care flashcards as text
An ACHPN is conducting a family meeting for a patient who lacks decision-making capacity and has no advance directive. What is the correct surrogate decision-making standard?
Answer: Substituted judgment using known patient values and preferences, then best interest standard
When a patient lacks capacity, surrogates should first use substituted judgment (applying known patient values and preferences) and, when those are unknown, apply the best interest standard.
Which intervention by the ACHPN best supports a family caregiver who insists on continuing curative treatment against the palliative care team's recommendation?
Answer: Explore the family's fears and hopes underlying their request using empathic communication
Empathic exploration of the family's underlying fears and hopes often reveals unaddressed concerns that, once acknowledged, can facilitate a more informed and aligned decision.
A family caregiver asks the ACHPN, 'How will I know when my loved one is dying?' Which response is most appropriate?
Answer: 'Signs include mottling, decreased urine output, altered breathing patterns, and increasing sleep.'
Providing specific, observable signs of impending death such as mottling, decreased urine output, altered breathing, and increased sleep prepares caregivers and reduces fear and uncertainty.
Which statement best describes the ACHPN's role in supporting a family experiencing anticipatory grief?
Answer: Normalize anticipatory grief as a natural response and facilitate open family communication
Normalizing anticipatory grief and facilitating open family communication allows family members to process emotions, say important things, and maintain connection before the patient's death.
A family member becomes angry during a hospice care planning meeting, accusing the team of 'giving up.' Which ACHPN response is most therapeutic?
Answer: Acknowledge the family's pain and reframe hospice as active, comfort-focused care
Acknowledging the family's emotional pain and reframing hospice care as active, comfort-focused care rather than 'giving up' addresses the underlying grief and fear driving the anger.
Which cultural consideration is most important when supporting diverse families in a hospice setting?
Answer: Assess individual family beliefs, practices, and preferences regarding death and dying
Cultural competence in palliative care requires individualized assessment of each family's specific beliefs and practices, as significant variation exists even within cultural groups.