Palliative Care NCLEX Questions - Med

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Palliative Care NCLEX Questions - Med Surg Final Exam Questions and Answers | Latest Version | 2025/2026 | Correct & Verified

A nurse is caring for a client receiving palliative care for metastatic cancer. Which statement best reflects the primary goal of palliative care?

• To cure the disease

✔✔ B. To relieve symptoms and improve quality of life

• To prepare the client for discharge to rehabilitation
• To extend life regardless of comfort

A client with end-stage heart failure reports increasing fatigue and dyspnea. What is the nurse’s best action?✔✔ A. Contact the palliative care team to reassess symptom management

• Schedule the client for a treadmill stress test
• Encourage the client to exercise daily
• Instruct the client to drink more fluids

Which of the following clients would most benefit from a palliative care referral? 1 / 3

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• A healthy older adult recovering from pneumonia

✔✔ B. A client with COPD who has frequent hospitalizations for exacerbations

• A young adult recovering from appendectomy
• A client recently diagnosed with mild hypertension

Which medication is commonly used to manage dyspnea in palliative care?

• Ibuprofen

✔✔ B. Morphine

• Atorvastatin
• Amlodipine

A nurse is caring for a client on hospice who is experiencing terminal restlessness. What is the priority nursing intervention?✔✔ A. Administer ordered sedatives and ensure a calm environment

• Call the provider to request lab tests
• Encourage the client to walk to reduce agitation
• Explain that the symptoms are not real
• / 3

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Which of the following best defines hospice care?

• Curative treatment with end-of-life counseling

✔✔ B. End-of-life care focusing on comfort, not cure

• Rehabilitative support with long-term goals
• Short-term care for surgical recovery

A dying client reports severe constipation. Which intervention is most appropriate in palliative care?✔✔ A. Administer a stool softener and increase fluid intake

• Begin NPO status and insert an NG tube
• Restrict mobility to avoid accidents
• Instruct the client to stop all medications

Which symptom is often treated with anticholinergics in palliative care?

• Muscle spasms

✔✔ B. Excess respiratory secretions

• Insomnia
• Nausea
• / 3