ELNEC COMPREHENSIVE STUDY GUIDE
2026 FULL QUESTIONS AND SOLUTIONS
GRADED A+
◍ Loss.
Answer: defined as the absence of a possession or future possession
◍ Chronic Pain.
Answer: pain that persists for longer than 3 to 6 months
◍ 3 Dimensions of Empathy:.
Answer: Relational, Cognitive, & Communicative
◍ Chronic Conditions.
Answer: defined as a physical or mental health condition that lasts more
than 1 year and causes functional restrictions or requires ongoing
monitoring or treatment
◍ Bereavement.
Answer: a period of grief and mourning that occurs after a loss
◍ Your patient, Mr. W, has been unresponsive for the past day and is actively
dying. His family is with im. He had appeared comfortable but has been
showing some signs of restlessness and agitation over the past hour. What
should you do FIRST?-
A. assess for evidence of pain, constipation, urinary retention, or other
possible physical cause-
B. Educate his family that all patients die in their own way and this is
probably his way-
C. Suggest that maybe he is getting restless and agitated with everyone
around him-
D. Get an order for as needed medication for restlessness and agitation as it
, may continue.
Answer: A. Assess for evidence of pain, constipation, urinary retention, or
other possible physical cause
◍ Massachusetts Pediatric Palliative Care Network: Implementation of
State-Funded Program.
Answer: Consult servicesDecreased cost100% of deaths occurred at families
requested location Median length of stay on service = 233 days
◍ Palliative Care.
Answer: _____________ _______ is NOT end-of-life care.
◍ Acute Pain.
Answer: pain that lasts less than 1 to 3 months
◍ Which of the following demonstrates the impact serious illness has on social
domain of quality of life?-
A. financial burden resulting from the high costs of medical care-
B. depression related to the possibility of dying-
C. severe nausea and vomiting-
D. a loss of hope.
Answer: A. financial burden resulting from the high costs of medical care
◍ Anticipatory.
Answer: results from uncertainty as well as trying to make sense of what is
coming
◍ Mr. J is in the final hours of life. He is dying from his end-stage chronic
lung disease. His breathing pattern has changed and is very irregular and he
is even going 10-14 seconds without a breath. The family asks you to please
call respiratory therapy to see what they can do to help his breathing. What
is your BEST response?-
A. I can call them, but I don't think there is anything they can do to make
this better-
B. We don't need to do that; I am sure his breathing is not bothersome to
him-
, C. His breathing pattern is difficult to watch, but the irregularity is a normal
part of the dying process-
D. I will call bother the doctor and respiratory therapy to see if he needs
more oxygen.
Answer: C. his breathing pattern is difficult to watch, but the irregularity is a
normal part of the dying process
◍ 2. A client with metastatic cancer is experiencing severe bone pain. Which
domain of quality of life is this affecting?.
Answer: Physical
◍ You are caring for an 85yo man who is dying. He has been comatose for
several days. His respirations are now shallow and rattling. His adult
children at the bedside are concerned their father is suffocating. Which
action should you take?-
A. Use a suction machine to suction secretions from the mouth and the
throat-
B. Percuss the patient's back to facilitate loosening of congestion-
C. Reassure the family that terminal secretions are normal and try
repositioning the patient-
D. Request an order for humidified oxygen to decrease the patient's air
hunger.
Answer: C. Reassure the family that terminal secretions are normal and try
repositioning the patient
◍ Nociceptive Pain.
Answer: this pain is usually related to damage to bones, soft tissues, or
internal organs; somatic and visceral pain
◍ Mr. Rodriquez tells you that he is very frightened by not knowing what
happens after death.Which domain of quality of life is being affected by his
serious illness?.
Answer: D Spiritual
◍ 2. A client with end-stage liver cancer and multiple organ failure is
approaching the end of life and may have about 6 weeks to live. They
2026 FULL QUESTIONS AND SOLUTIONS
GRADED A+
◍ Loss.
Answer: defined as the absence of a possession or future possession
◍ Chronic Pain.
Answer: pain that persists for longer than 3 to 6 months
◍ 3 Dimensions of Empathy:.
Answer: Relational, Cognitive, & Communicative
◍ Chronic Conditions.
Answer: defined as a physical or mental health condition that lasts more
than 1 year and causes functional restrictions or requires ongoing
monitoring or treatment
◍ Bereavement.
Answer: a period of grief and mourning that occurs after a loss
◍ Your patient, Mr. W, has been unresponsive for the past day and is actively
dying. His family is with im. He had appeared comfortable but has been
showing some signs of restlessness and agitation over the past hour. What
should you do FIRST?-
A. assess for evidence of pain, constipation, urinary retention, or other
possible physical cause-
B. Educate his family that all patients die in their own way and this is
probably his way-
C. Suggest that maybe he is getting restless and agitated with everyone
around him-
D. Get an order for as needed medication for restlessness and agitation as it
, may continue.
Answer: A. Assess for evidence of pain, constipation, urinary retention, or
other possible physical cause
◍ Massachusetts Pediatric Palliative Care Network: Implementation of
State-Funded Program.
Answer: Consult servicesDecreased cost100% of deaths occurred at families
requested location Median length of stay on service = 233 days
◍ Palliative Care.
Answer: _____________ _______ is NOT end-of-life care.
◍ Acute Pain.
Answer: pain that lasts less than 1 to 3 months
◍ Which of the following demonstrates the impact serious illness has on social
domain of quality of life?-
A. financial burden resulting from the high costs of medical care-
B. depression related to the possibility of dying-
C. severe nausea and vomiting-
D. a loss of hope.
Answer: A. financial burden resulting from the high costs of medical care
◍ Anticipatory.
Answer: results from uncertainty as well as trying to make sense of what is
coming
◍ Mr. J is in the final hours of life. He is dying from his end-stage chronic
lung disease. His breathing pattern has changed and is very irregular and he
is even going 10-14 seconds without a breath. The family asks you to please
call respiratory therapy to see what they can do to help his breathing. What
is your BEST response?-
A. I can call them, but I don't think there is anything they can do to make
this better-
B. We don't need to do that; I am sure his breathing is not bothersome to
him-
, C. His breathing pattern is difficult to watch, but the irregularity is a normal
part of the dying process-
D. I will call bother the doctor and respiratory therapy to see if he needs
more oxygen.
Answer: C. his breathing pattern is difficult to watch, but the irregularity is a
normal part of the dying process
◍ 2. A client with metastatic cancer is experiencing severe bone pain. Which
domain of quality of life is this affecting?.
Answer: Physical
◍ You are caring for an 85yo man who is dying. He has been comatose for
several days. His respirations are now shallow and rattling. His adult
children at the bedside are concerned their father is suffocating. Which
action should you take?-
A. Use a suction machine to suction secretions from the mouth and the
throat-
B. Percuss the patient's back to facilitate loosening of congestion-
C. Reassure the family that terminal secretions are normal and try
repositioning the patient-
D. Request an order for humidified oxygen to decrease the patient's air
hunger.
Answer: C. Reassure the family that terminal secretions are normal and try
repositioning the patient
◍ Nociceptive Pain.
Answer: this pain is usually related to damage to bones, soft tissues, or
internal organs; somatic and visceral pain
◍ Mr. Rodriquez tells you that he is very frightened by not knowing what
happens after death.Which domain of quality of life is being affected by his
serious illness?.
Answer: D Spiritual
◍ 2. A client with end-stage liver cancer and multiple organ failure is
approaching the end of life and may have about 6 weeks to live. They
