Exams in palliative care can feel different from any other test you’ve taken. They don’t just check if you can memorize facts, they push you to think deeper: the philosophy of care, ethical decision-making, and what good practice looks like in real-life scenarios.
This guide is here to help you cut through the overwhelm. I’ll walk you through the core concepts that show up most often, the strategies that make tricky questions easier, and the mindset that keeps you steady on exam day. Whether you’re a nursing student, preparing for certification in hospice and palliative care, or working on a professional competency exam, the goal is the same: to give you clarity, confidence, and a plan you can actually rely on.
If you’d like extra practice beyond this guide, you might find this palliative care nursing test bank helpful. It’s packed with exam-style questions that mirror what you’ll actually face, so you can test yourself while you study.
Palliative Care Nursing Final Exam Prep Questions
1. The majority of hospice care is provided in which setting?
- A. Hospitals
- B. Private residences
- C. Jails
- D. PC clinics
Answer: B
Rationale: While hospice occurs in many different settings such as acute care hospital units, PC clinics or ambulatory settings, private practices, and prisons, most hospice care is provided in private residences such as nursing homes, homes, and residential facilities.
2. Which entity is the first professional organization for excellence in the practice of hospice
nursing?
- A. National Board for Certification of Hospice and Palliative Nurses (NBCHPN)
- B. Hospice and Palliative Nurses Foundation (HPNF)
- C. Advancing Expert Care (AEC)
- D. Hospice and Palliative Care Nurses Association (HPNA)
Answer: D
Rationale: Incorporated in 1987, the Hospice Nurses Association (HNA) became the first professional nursing organization dedicated to promoting excellence in the practice of hospice nursing. NBCHN is the National Board for Certification of Hospice and Palliative Nurses. HPNF is the Hospice and Palliative Nurses Foundation. In 2014, the HPNA came together with the Hospice and Palliative Nurses Foundation (HPNF) and the Hospice and Palliative Credentialing Center (HPCC) to form a partnership with a synergized mission. The three distinct organizations form Advancing Expert Care (AEC).
3. In 1995, SUPPORT investigators came to which conclusion?
- A. Patients with end-of-life care felt they had adequate communication with their healthcare providers.
- B. Patients with end of life care were requesting less-aggressive medical treatments.
- C. Dying patients require an individual and collective commitment from healthcare providers.
- D. Dying patients were reporting moderate levels of pain and needed little increase in
- medication.
Answer: C
Rationale: The “Study to Understand Prognoses and Preferences for Outcomes and Risks of Treatment” (SUPPORT; SUPPORT Study Investigators, 1995) investigators believed that improving the end-of-life care for patients required an individual and collective commitment of healthcare providers and that the caregiving processes needed to be reshaped. SUPPORT findings indicated a lack of communication between patients and their providers, particularly related to EOL preferences, aggressiveness of medical treatments, and a high level of reported pain by seriously ill and dying patients.
4. Which type of disease is a leading cause of death today?
- A. Infectious
- B. Autoimmune
- C. Chronic
- D. Acute
Answer: C
Rationale: People today are living much longer than those of previous eras. The leading causes of death have changed from primarily infectious diseases to chronic illnesses. In 2014, the 10 leading causes of death were heart disease, cancer, chronic lower respiratory diseases, unintentional injuries, stroke, Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, influenza and pneumonia, kidney disease, and suicide. These 10 causes of death accounted for 74% of the 2.6 million deaths in
2014.
5. What is the purpose of the eight domains of palliative care?
- A. To reflect national guidelines for quality palliative care
- B. To correlate palliative care with hospice parameters
- C. To determine nursing school palliative care learning objectives
- D. To educate physicians on the benefits of a palliative care
Answer: A
Rationale: The domains of quality palliative care are designed to complement the process of improving PC quality. The qualifications of caregivers are determined by the organizations that grant professional credentials and programmatic accreditation. As a specialty organization, the Hospice and Palliative Care Nurses Association has identified the scope and standards of hospice and palliative care nursing and the competencies at all levels of nursing practice, specifically nursing assistants, licensed vocational nurses, professional registered nurses, and advanced practice nurses.
6. In addition to the nurse, which professionals are core members of the palliative care team?
- A. Dietician and physical therapist
- B. Physician and pharmacist
- C. Physician and nursing assistant
- D. Physician and social worker
Answer: D
Rationale: At the very minimum, the interprofessional team includes the physician, nurse, social worker, and clergy. While physical therapists, dieticians, and nursing assistants can play significant roles in the patient’s care, they are not considered part of the minimal team.
7. What is the last step in the advanced practice nurse’s standards for development and implementation of a plan of care?
- A. Planning
- B. Consultation
- C. Diagnosis
- D. Evaluation
Answer: D
Rationale: A specific notation of standards applies only to the advanced practice nurse, especially when creating a plan of care for the patient. The steps involved are assessment, diagnosis, outcome identification, planning, implementation, coordination of care, health teaching and health promotion, consultation, prescriptive authority and treatment, and evaluation.
8. Which situation shows a nurse demonstrating competency in collaboration when providing
palliative care?
- A. Checking current research on effective pain management when determining the care plan
- for an end-of-life patient
- B. Consulting with a dietician when determining the meal plan for a patient with end-stage
- renal failure
- C. Providing a list of caregiver support groups to a patient's family members
- D. Reflecting on actions taken in a care situation and how they may be improved
Answer: B
Rationale: Interprofessional collaborative practice involves different types of health professionals working together with patients, families, and communities to deliver best practices and best patient outcomes. Practicing evidence-based nursing, being knowledgeable regarding resources to assist patients and families, and evaluating care are nursing competencies but does not reflect interprofessional collaboration.
9. What is the core principle of palliative care?
- A. Patient’s family involvement is approved by the healthcare provider.
- B. Patient’s care depends primarily on the disease involved.
- C. Patient and healthcare provider are the unit of care.
- D. Patient and family are the unit of care.
Answer: D
Rationale: A core principle of palliative care across the entire disease spectrum and in all settings is that the patient and family constitute the unit of care. The patient and family, rather than the disease, are the primary focus of care. Family-centered care forms the foundation of palliative care philosophy; it addresses the meaning of disease, suffering, life, and death within the context of each family unit.
10. Physical, psychological, spiritual, and social dimensions are part of which conceptual model?
- A. Whole-person suffering
- B. Calkin model of advanced nursing practice
- C. Systems approach
- D. Clinical ethics
Answer: A
Rationale: Dame Cicely Saunder is the founder of St. Christopher’s Hospice in London. She developed a conceptual model of “whole-person” suffering that has four dimensions: physical, psychological, spiritual, and social. Suffering affects each domain of the bio–psycho–social– spiritual aspects of care. This forms the basis for the description of palliative care nursing practice.
As you have seen while revising with these practice questions, it's clear that working with real sample questions is one of the best ways to prepare. These questions came from this test bank for Palliative Care Nursing: Quality Care to the End of Life. Download it today and start sharpening your strategy, and get familiar with how questions are framed.
CHAPTER 2: Palliative Care: Responsive to the Need for Healthcare Practice Questions
Reform in the United States
Multiple Choice
1. Which statement describes palliative care for a patient recently diagnosed with pancreatic
cancer?
- A. Patients with a rapidly progressing cancer benefit little from palliative care.
- B. Palliative care is offered in the last 6 months of life.
- C. Palliative care focuses primarily on disease management
- D. Palliative care can be provided along with curative treatments.
Answer: D
Rationale: Palliative care can be provided in the context of curative treatments, concurrently with symptom alleviation of the disease or its treatment, as well as offering psychological and spiritual support during the illness experience. Palliative care begins at the time of the patient’s diagnosis and continues until the patient’s death, and into the bereavement period for families.
2. The rising cost of healthcare has caused which of the following effects?
- A. Palliative care is becoming a structured system of care within mainstream healthcare.
- B. The number of patient consultations to palliative care is decreasing.
- C. Palliative care is increasing medical expenses.
- D. The need to limit the numTbeErSoTf tBreAaNtmKeSntEoLpLtioEnRs.oCffeOrMed.
Answer: A
Rationale: Palliative care is moving into the mainstream of healthcare as a highly structured and organized system of care. Because of the increase in the number of people age 65 and older, more patients are seeking palliative care. Palliative care promotes quality health outcomes, providing added value while lowering health care costs. Palliative care which is comfort and supportive care can be offered along with curative therapies.
3. A patient has just received a diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis. If the patient receives a
palliative care consultation, which outcome is most likely?
- A. Care will be shifted from home to hospital.
- B. Comprehensive, coordinated care will occur
- C. Quality of life for family will be unchanged.
- D. Laboratory and pharmaceutical costs will increase.
Answer: B
Rationale: Palliative care results in fewer hospital days, fewer emergency department or physician office visits, and fewer days in a skilled nursing facility. As more patients wish to remain at home during an illness and to die at home, palliative care allows the shift of care from hospital to home, while providing comprehensive coordinated care across settings. Palliative care increases the quality of life for patients and their families, and reduces the total costs of ICU admissions, lowers the cost per day, lowers the direct costs per admission, and also reduces laboratory costs.
4. Which patient is most likely to have access to quality hospice or palliative care?
- A. Jason, who receives outpatient services in rural Tennessee
- B. Carmine, who has been admitted to a small community hospital in Arizona
- C. Nancy, who has been admitted to an academic medical center in Massachusetts
- D. Adele, who receives outpatient services at the VA hospital in Georgia
Answer: C
Rationale: There is state-to-state and region-to-region variability in accessibility and availability of palliative care. Issues may be due to a shortage of trained professionals in PC, particularly in public and community provider hospitals, which serve Americans who are without healthcare insurance or those who live in geographically isolated areas. PC has grown rapidly in the U.S. healthcare system, with 90% of large hospitals with 300 or more beds now having a PC team. The number of palliative care programs is highest in the New England (88% of hospitals), Pacific (77% of hospitals), and mid-Atlantic (77% of hospitals) areas and lowest in the west south central (43%) and east south central (42%) states. In contrast, only 26% of for-profit hospitals, 37% of community hospitals, and 54% of public hospitals offer PC. Most veterans receive hospice care (71%), while 52% received palliative care.
5. In which way does voluntary certification in palliative care support healthcare reform?
- A. Increases the number of palliative care programs supervised by physicians
- B. Links palliative care with hospice care in the minds of patients
- C. Insures that palliative care programs meet the criteria for quality palliative care
- D. Maintains current reimbursement standards for palliative care
Answer: C
Rationale: The current voluntary certification in PC, as recommended by the Joint Commission, as well as the expectation for hospitals to achieve Magnet status, supports the mandate for healthcare reform in America and the provision of PC for patients and families. Certification insures that a palliative care program meets the criteria for quality palliative care as identified in the National Quality Forum Consensus Guidelines for Quality Palliative Care.
Short Answer
1. Describe the 3-year palliative care/hospice demonstration project implemented by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services under the requirements of the Affordable Care Act of 2010.
Model Answer: This project is designed to allow patients to receive aggressive treatment and palliative/hospice care concurrently. It requires an evaluation of the current hospice eligibility criteria, with the expectation that the current prognosis of 6 months or less to live for patients with advanced illness will be relaxed. Additional project outcomes measured are the cost saving of palliative home healthcare programs and an evaluation of patients’ and families’ quality of life. The project hypothesizes that, compared to usual care, there will be improved survival rates when palliative care is performed along with life-sustaining treatments.
2. What are four positive health outcomes of palliative care?
Model Answer: Studies conclude that palliative care reduces the overuse of marginally effective, ineffective, and unnecessary treatments, and results in fewer hospital readmissions, allowing greater continuity of care and the development of safe transition plans upon initial discharge. Other positive health outcomes of palliative care include better management of pain and other symptoms; emotional, spiritual, and social support of patients and families; better quality of life for patients and families; increased patient/family satisfaction; efficient handling of time-intensive family/pTaBtiAenNt/KteSamELmLeEetRin.gsC; ObeMtter coordination of care; increased specialty-level assistance to attending physicians; support for discharge planning staff; and nurse and physician satisfaction.
CHAPTER 3: Interprofessional Collaboration Practice Questions
Multiple Choice
1. Which patient would benefit most from an interprofessional palliative care team?
A. Janice, who has Crohnʼs disease, is an active member of her synagogue, and lives near
her two adult children
B. Troy, who has a torn meniscus, is running back for his high school football team, and
lives with his parents and three sisters
C. Carl, who has hypertension controlled by medication, works long hours as a custodian,
and lives by himself
D. Ann, who has lupus, has retired from being a research assistant, and is recently widowed
and lives by herself
Answer: D
Rationale: While all patients can benefit from an interprofessional palliative care team, some patients have more resources than others. Of the four patients listed, Ann would benefit the most. She has a chronic disease that requires pain management and occasional hospitalization. Since she is retired, she may not have supportive friends from work, and since she is recently widowed, she has undergone a great loss.
2. Which process demonstrates interprofessional practice?
A. Curative methods are used first, then palliative methods.
B. Communication is primarily through the patient’s chart.
C. Integrated plan of care is formulated by many professionals.
D. Family needs are addressed after the plan of care is enacted.
Answer: C
Rationale: An interprofessional team approach integrates separate disciplines into a single consultation, discussing the patient history, assessment, diagnosis, intervention, and short- and long-term care management. The goals of care are established by the team, together with the patient and the family, who are involved in making healthcare decisions.
3. Which interprofessional team member usually assesses patient and family physical,
emotional, and spiritual needs?
A. Registered nurse
B. Chaplain
C. Palliative care physician
D. Social worker
Answer: A
Rationale: A registered nurse conducts a comprehensive assessment of patients’ and families’ physical, emotional, and spiritual needs and intervenes through therapeutic presence and communication, use of nursing interventions, and administration of medical treatments to improve the quality of life.
4. Which of the following is an example of good interprofessional communication?
A. Confirming a registered nurse was aware that a patient was being given two prescriptions
B. Ensuring physicians communicate with one another and the palliative care nurse about what to prescribe for a patient
C. Asking the pharmacist to TcoEmSmTuBnAicNatKe SwEitLh LthEe Rre.gCistOeMred nurse about what prescriptions a patient should receive
D. Having the palliative care nurse inform physicians which prescriptions would be best for
a patient
Answer: B
Rationale: Certain levels of decision making may be made by individual members of the interprofessional team, whereas other levels will require input from the entire team as a whole. Poor, fragmented decision making results from the failure to include appropriate team members in the decision-making process. Physicians should communicate with one another and the palliative care nurse about what to prescribe for a patient. The registered nurse is not responsible for writing prescriptions. Asking the pharmacist to communicate with the registered nurse about what prescriptions a patient should receive is inappropriate, as is having the palliative care nurse inform physicians what prescriptions they should write.
At the end of the day, confidence comes from practice. If you want to go into your exam feeling prepared, consider using this palliative care exam test bank. It’s a reliable way to reinforce what you’ve learned and walk in on exam day with clarity and focus.
Practical Tips for Passing Your Palliative Care Exam with Confidence
Preparing for a palliative care exam can feel overwhelming. There’s so much to cover, and unlike other subjects, this isn’t just about memorizing definitions. It’s about understanding the heart of palliative care—how we approach patients, families, and those big ethical questions that don’t always have a straightforward answer.
To make your prep easier (and way less stressful), focus on three key areas: building real understanding, tackling questions with strategy, and keeping your head clear on exam day.
1. Really Understand the Core Concepts
Don’t just cram. The examiners want to see that you get it. For example, instead of just remembering that chronic illnesses cause most deaths worldwide, connect it to why palliative care is now a cornerstone of modern healthcare.
Think about distinctions you’ll definitely see: palliative versus hospice care, the “whole-person” approach to suffering, and the idea that both patients and families are at the center of care. If you understand why these concepts matter, you’ll be much more confident when you’re faced with tricky scenario-based questions.
2. Be Strategic with Questions
Here’s where a lot of people slip up. The exam isn’t only testing what you know—it’s testing how you apply that knowledge.
When you get a scenario question, pause for a moment. What’s the real issue here? Let’s say the question is about a nurse feeling conflicted in an end-of-life situation. Before rushing to pick an answer, ask yourself: is this really about autonomy, beneficence, or maybe the principle of double effect? Then look for the option that reflects patient-centered, holistic care. Practicing this habit will save you from second-guessing and falling into traps.
3. Watch Out for Common Mix-ups
Exams love to test the little details. For example, do you know the core members of the palliative care team? (Physician, nurse, social worker, and clergy.) Can you confidently tell the difference between advance directives, POLST forms, and DNR orders?
Review these areas carefully—they’re the classic pitfalls that trip people up, even if they know the bigger concepts.
4. Build the Right Exam-Day Mindset
You’ve done the work, so exam day is really about managing your nerves. Start with the questions you know, then circle back to the harder ones. It builds momentum and gives you confidence as you go.
And here’s something worth remembering: palliative care itself is about compassion, presence, and thoughtful decision-making. If you walk into the exam with that same mindset—calm, focused, and trusting your preparation—you’ll perform so much better.
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