Palliative Care Final Exam (New 2026/
2027 Update) Questions & Answers {Grade
A} 10% Correct (Verified Solutions)
What are some factors to consider in the dying process that affect setting? - Correct
answer TYPE OF DYING PROCESS
- Sudden or accidental?
- Congenital disorder?
- Prolonged chronic or terminal illness?
- Short illness/death trajectory?
OTHER FACTORS
- Complex symptoms?
- Amount of formal care services available at home
- Amount of informal care available
- Patient and family preferences
True or False: Sudden/accidental deaths are more likely to occur in the hospital -
Correct answer FALSE
,- They are less likely to occur in hospital
What type of disease represents the highest proportion of deaths in the hospital? -
Correct answer Congenital diseases (particularly those identified at birth)
What setting are prolonged illnesses/chronic illnesses most likely to be found in? -
Correct answer LTC
Where are short/sudden illness most likely to be cared for? - Correct answer PCU
Hospice
At home
What percentage of dying patients require specialized intensive palliative care services
to manage their symptoms? - Correct answer 5-10%
During which year did the percentage of deaths in Canada peak? - Correct answer 1994
But then they declined!
,Approximately what percentage of Ontarians visit the emergency department within
the last two weeks of life? - Correct answer 40%
This includes those who are already receiving community palliative care
Break down the Emergency Department as an end of life setting in terms of
philosophy, atmosphere, expertise, resources, implications for patients/families, and
implications for staff - Correct answer Philosophy:
- Focus on life saving medical interventions
- Comfort of patients is a low priority
Atmosphere:
- Noise, institutional, lack of privacy, stressful
Expertise:
- Complex trauma and treatment
- Not symptom assessment and management
Resources:
- Nurses busy meeting high acuity
- Palliative consultation services are only available from 9-5
Implications for patients/families:
, - Distress
- Poor symptom management
- Unnecessary hospital admissions
Implications for staff:
- Suit of armour
- Feelings of failure or inadequacy
Break down the Intensive Care Unit as an end of life setting in terms of philosophy,
atmosphere, expertise, resources, implications for patients/families, and implications
for staff - Correct answer Philosophy:
- Life preservation at all costs
- Complex medical interventions available
Atmosphere:
- Noise, institutional, lack of privacy, stressful, exposure to death, space limitations
Expertise:
- Complex medical interventions and complex assessment
- Symptom management (but not at the cost of quantity of life
Resources:
2027 Update) Questions & Answers {Grade
A} 10% Correct (Verified Solutions)
What are some factors to consider in the dying process that affect setting? - Correct
answer TYPE OF DYING PROCESS
- Sudden or accidental?
- Congenital disorder?
- Prolonged chronic or terminal illness?
- Short illness/death trajectory?
OTHER FACTORS
- Complex symptoms?
- Amount of formal care services available at home
- Amount of informal care available
- Patient and family preferences
True or False: Sudden/accidental deaths are more likely to occur in the hospital -
Correct answer FALSE
,- They are less likely to occur in hospital
What type of disease represents the highest proportion of deaths in the hospital? -
Correct answer Congenital diseases (particularly those identified at birth)
What setting are prolonged illnesses/chronic illnesses most likely to be found in? -
Correct answer LTC
Where are short/sudden illness most likely to be cared for? - Correct answer PCU
Hospice
At home
What percentage of dying patients require specialized intensive palliative care services
to manage their symptoms? - Correct answer 5-10%
During which year did the percentage of deaths in Canada peak? - Correct answer 1994
But then they declined!
,Approximately what percentage of Ontarians visit the emergency department within
the last two weeks of life? - Correct answer 40%
This includes those who are already receiving community palliative care
Break down the Emergency Department as an end of life setting in terms of
philosophy, atmosphere, expertise, resources, implications for patients/families, and
implications for staff - Correct answer Philosophy:
- Focus on life saving medical interventions
- Comfort of patients is a low priority
Atmosphere:
- Noise, institutional, lack of privacy, stressful
Expertise:
- Complex trauma and treatment
- Not symptom assessment and management
Resources:
- Nurses busy meeting high acuity
- Palliative consultation services are only available from 9-5
Implications for patients/families:
, - Distress
- Poor symptom management
- Unnecessary hospital admissions
Implications for staff:
- Suit of armour
- Feelings of failure or inadequacy
Break down the Intensive Care Unit as an end of life setting in terms of philosophy,
atmosphere, expertise, resources, implications for patients/families, and implications
for staff - Correct answer Philosophy:
- Life preservation at all costs
- Complex medical interventions available
Atmosphere:
- Noise, institutional, lack of privacy, stressful, exposure to death, space limitations
Expertise:
- Complex medical interventions and complex assessment
- Symptom management (but not at the cost of quantity of life
Resources:
