ADULT HEALTH 2 TEST BANK -EXAM 3
Questions and ANSWERS 2025\2026 update
1. In the past three to four decades, nursing has moved into the forefront in providing care for the
dying. Which phenomenon has most contributed to this increased focus of care of the dying?
A) Increased incidence of infections and acute illnesses
B) Increased focus of health care providers on disease prevention
C) Larger numbers of people dying in hospital settings
D) Demographic changes in the population - ANS>>D
2. A nurse who works in the specialty of palliative care frequently encounters issues and situations
that constitute ethical dilemmas. What issue has most often presented challenging ethical issues,
especially in the context of palliative care? A) The increase in cultural diversity in the United States
B) Staffing shortages in health care and questions concerning quality of care C) Increased costs of
health care coupled with inequalities in access D) Ability of technology to prolong life beyond
meaningful quality of life - ANS>>D
The nurse is caring for a patient who has been recently diagnosed with late stage pancreatic cancer.
The patient refuses to accept the diagnosis and refuses to adhere to treatment. What is the most
likely psychosocial purpose of this patients strategy? A) The patient may be trying to protect loved
ones from the emotional effects of the illness. B) The patient is being noncompliant in order to
assert power over caregivers. C) The patient may be skeptical of the benefits of the Western
biomedical model of health. D) The patient thinks that treatment does not provide him comfort. -
ANS>>A
4. A nurse who sits on the hospitals ethics committee is reviewing a complex case that has many of
the hallmarks of assisted suicide. Which of the following would be an example of assisted suicide?
A) Administering a lethal dose of medication to a patient whose death is imminent B) Administering
a morphine infusion without assessing for respiratory depression C) Granting a patients request not
to initiate enteral feeding when the patient is unable to eat D) Neglecting to resuscitate a patient
with a do not resuscitate order - ANS>>A
5. A medical nurse is providing palliative care to a patient with a diagnosis of end-stage chronic
obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). What is the primary goal of this nurses care? A) To improve
,After contributing to the care of several patients who died in the hospital, the nurse has identified
some lapses in the care that many of these patients received toward the end of their lives. What
have research studies identified as a potential deficiency in the care of the dying in hospital
settings? A) Families needs for information and support often go unmet. B) Patients are too sedated
to achieve adequate pain control. C) Patients are not given opportunities to communicate with
caregivers. D) Patients are ignored by the care team toward the end of life. - ANS>>A
An adult oncology patient has a diagnosis of bladder cancer with metastasis and the patient has
asked the nurse about the possibility of hospice care. Which principle is central to a hospice
setting? A) The patient and family should be viewed as a single unit of care. B) Persistent
symptoms of terminal illness should not be treated. C) Each member of the interdisciplinary team
should develop an individual plan of care. Test Bank - Brunner & Suddarth's Textbook of Medical-
Surgical Nursing 14e (Hinkle 2017) 321 D) Terminally ill patients should die in the hospital whenever
possible. - ANS>>A
A clinic nurse is providing patient education prior to a patients scheduled palliative radiotherapy to
her spine. At the completion of the patient teaching, the patient continues to ask the same
questions that the nurse has already addressed. What is the plausible conclusion that the nurse
should draw from this? A) The patient is not listening effectively. B) The patient is noncompliant
with the plan of care. C) The patient may have a low intelligence quotient or a cognitive deficit. D)
The patient has not achieved the desired learning outcomes. - ANS>>D
The nurse is part of the health care team at an oncology center. A patient has been diagnosed with
leukemia and the prognosis is poor, but the patient is not yet aware of the prognosis. How can the
bad news best be conveyed to the patient? A) Family should be given the prognosis first. B) The
prognosis should be delivered with the patient at eye level. C) The physician should deliver the
news to the patient alone. D) The appointment should be scheduled at the end of the day - ANS>>B
A patient has just been told that her illness is terminal. The patient tearfully states, I cant believe I
am going to die. Why me? What is your best response? A) I know how you are feeling. B) You have
lived a long life. C) This must be very difficult for you. D) Life can be so unfair. - ANS>>C
The nurse has observed that an older adult patient with a diagnosis of end-stage renal failure seems
to prefer to have his eldest son make all of his health care decisions. While the family is visiting, the
patient explains to you that this is a cultural practice and very important to him. How should you
respond? A) Privately ask the son to allow the patient to make his own health care decisions. B)
Explain to the patient that he is responsible for his own decisions. C) Work with the team to
negotiate informed consent. D) Avoid divulging information to the eldest son - ANS>>C
One aspect of the nurses comprehensive assessment when caring for the terminally ill is the
assessment of hope. The nurse is assessing a patient with liver failure for the presence of hope.
What would the nurse identify as a hope-fostering category? A) Uplifting memories B) Ignoring
, physician to order analgesics by an alternative route. B) Crush the medication in order to aid
swallowing and absorption. C) Administer the patients medication with the meal tray. D) Administer
the medication rectally - ANS>>A
A 66-year-old patient is in a hospice receiving palliative care for lung cancer which has
metastasized to the patients liver and bones. For the past several hours, the patient has been
experiencing dyspnea. What nursing action is most appropriate to help to relive the dyspnea the
patient is experiencing? Test Bank - Brunner & Suddarth's Textbook of Medical-Surgical Nursing
14e (Hinkle 2017) 324 A) Administer a bolus of normal saline, as ordered. B) Initiate high-flow
oxygen therapy. C) Administer high doses of opioids. D) Administer bronchodilators and
corticosteroids, as ordered - ANS>>D
The nurse is caring for a patient who has terminal lung cancer and is unconscious. Which
assessment finding would most clearly indicate to the nurse that the patients death is imminent? A)
Mottling of the lower limbs B) Slow, steady pulse C) Bowel incontinence D) Increased swallowing -
ANS>>A
A patient on the medical unit is dying and the nurse has determined that the familys psychosocial
needs during the dying process need to be addressed. What is a cause of many patient care
dilemmas at the end of life? A) Poor communication between the family and the care team B) Denial
of imminent death on the part of the family or the patient Test Bank - Brunner & Suddarth's
Textbook of Medical-Surgical Nursing 14e (Hinkle 2017) 325 C) Limited visitation opportunities for
friends and family D) Conflict between family members - ANS>>A
The nurse is assessing a 73-year-old patient who was diagnosed with metastatic prostate cancer.
The nurse notes that the patient is exhibiting signs of loss, grief, and intense sadness. Based on
this assessment data, the nurse will document that the patient is most likely in what stage of death
and dying? A) Depression B) Denial C) Anger D) Resignation - ANS>>A
You are caring for a 50-year-old man diagnosed with multiple myeloma; he has just been told by the
care team that his prognosis is poor. He is tearful and trying to express his feelings, but he is
having difficulty. What should you do first? A) Ask if he would like you to sit with him while he
collects his thoughts. B) Tell him that you will leave for now but will be back shortly. C) Offer to call
pastoral care or a member of his chosen clergy. D) Reassure him that you can understand how he is
feeling - ANS>>A
The nurse in a pediatric ICU is caring for a child who is dying of sickle cell anemia. The childs
mother has been unable to eat or sleep and can talk only about her impending loss and the guilt she
feels about the childs pain and suffering. What intervention has the highest priority? A) Allowing the
patient to express her feelings without judging her B) Helping the patient to understand the phases
of the grieving process C) Reassuring the patient that the childs death is not her fault D) Arranging
for genetic counseling to inform the patient of her chances of having another child with the disease
Questions and ANSWERS 2025\2026 update
1. In the past three to four decades, nursing has moved into the forefront in providing care for the
dying. Which phenomenon has most contributed to this increased focus of care of the dying?
A) Increased incidence of infections and acute illnesses
B) Increased focus of health care providers on disease prevention
C) Larger numbers of people dying in hospital settings
D) Demographic changes in the population - ANS>>D
2. A nurse who works in the specialty of palliative care frequently encounters issues and situations
that constitute ethical dilemmas. What issue has most often presented challenging ethical issues,
especially in the context of palliative care? A) The increase in cultural diversity in the United States
B) Staffing shortages in health care and questions concerning quality of care C) Increased costs of
health care coupled with inequalities in access D) Ability of technology to prolong life beyond
meaningful quality of life - ANS>>D
The nurse is caring for a patient who has been recently diagnosed with late stage pancreatic cancer.
The patient refuses to accept the diagnosis and refuses to adhere to treatment. What is the most
likely psychosocial purpose of this patients strategy? A) The patient may be trying to protect loved
ones from the emotional effects of the illness. B) The patient is being noncompliant in order to
assert power over caregivers. C) The patient may be skeptical of the benefits of the Western
biomedical model of health. D) The patient thinks that treatment does not provide him comfort. -
ANS>>A
4. A nurse who sits on the hospitals ethics committee is reviewing a complex case that has many of
the hallmarks of assisted suicide. Which of the following would be an example of assisted suicide?
A) Administering a lethal dose of medication to a patient whose death is imminent B) Administering
a morphine infusion without assessing for respiratory depression C) Granting a patients request not
to initiate enteral feeding when the patient is unable to eat D) Neglecting to resuscitate a patient
with a do not resuscitate order - ANS>>A
5. A medical nurse is providing palliative care to a patient with a diagnosis of end-stage chronic
obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). What is the primary goal of this nurses care? A) To improve
,After contributing to the care of several patients who died in the hospital, the nurse has identified
some lapses in the care that many of these patients received toward the end of their lives. What
have research studies identified as a potential deficiency in the care of the dying in hospital
settings? A) Families needs for information and support often go unmet. B) Patients are too sedated
to achieve adequate pain control. C) Patients are not given opportunities to communicate with
caregivers. D) Patients are ignored by the care team toward the end of life. - ANS>>A
An adult oncology patient has a diagnosis of bladder cancer with metastasis and the patient has
asked the nurse about the possibility of hospice care. Which principle is central to a hospice
setting? A) The patient and family should be viewed as a single unit of care. B) Persistent
symptoms of terminal illness should not be treated. C) Each member of the interdisciplinary team
should develop an individual plan of care. Test Bank - Brunner & Suddarth's Textbook of Medical-
Surgical Nursing 14e (Hinkle 2017) 321 D) Terminally ill patients should die in the hospital whenever
possible. - ANS>>A
A clinic nurse is providing patient education prior to a patients scheduled palliative radiotherapy to
her spine. At the completion of the patient teaching, the patient continues to ask the same
questions that the nurse has already addressed. What is the plausible conclusion that the nurse
should draw from this? A) The patient is not listening effectively. B) The patient is noncompliant
with the plan of care. C) The patient may have a low intelligence quotient or a cognitive deficit. D)
The patient has not achieved the desired learning outcomes. - ANS>>D
The nurse is part of the health care team at an oncology center. A patient has been diagnosed with
leukemia and the prognosis is poor, but the patient is not yet aware of the prognosis. How can the
bad news best be conveyed to the patient? A) Family should be given the prognosis first. B) The
prognosis should be delivered with the patient at eye level. C) The physician should deliver the
news to the patient alone. D) The appointment should be scheduled at the end of the day - ANS>>B
A patient has just been told that her illness is terminal. The patient tearfully states, I cant believe I
am going to die. Why me? What is your best response? A) I know how you are feeling. B) You have
lived a long life. C) This must be very difficult for you. D) Life can be so unfair. - ANS>>C
The nurse has observed that an older adult patient with a diagnosis of end-stage renal failure seems
to prefer to have his eldest son make all of his health care decisions. While the family is visiting, the
patient explains to you that this is a cultural practice and very important to him. How should you
respond? A) Privately ask the son to allow the patient to make his own health care decisions. B)
Explain to the patient that he is responsible for his own decisions. C) Work with the team to
negotiate informed consent. D) Avoid divulging information to the eldest son - ANS>>C
One aspect of the nurses comprehensive assessment when caring for the terminally ill is the
assessment of hope. The nurse is assessing a patient with liver failure for the presence of hope.
What would the nurse identify as a hope-fostering category? A) Uplifting memories B) Ignoring
, physician to order analgesics by an alternative route. B) Crush the medication in order to aid
swallowing and absorption. C) Administer the patients medication with the meal tray. D) Administer
the medication rectally - ANS>>A
A 66-year-old patient is in a hospice receiving palliative care for lung cancer which has
metastasized to the patients liver and bones. For the past several hours, the patient has been
experiencing dyspnea. What nursing action is most appropriate to help to relive the dyspnea the
patient is experiencing? Test Bank - Brunner & Suddarth's Textbook of Medical-Surgical Nursing
14e (Hinkle 2017) 324 A) Administer a bolus of normal saline, as ordered. B) Initiate high-flow
oxygen therapy. C) Administer high doses of opioids. D) Administer bronchodilators and
corticosteroids, as ordered - ANS>>D
The nurse is caring for a patient who has terminal lung cancer and is unconscious. Which
assessment finding would most clearly indicate to the nurse that the patients death is imminent? A)
Mottling of the lower limbs B) Slow, steady pulse C) Bowel incontinence D) Increased swallowing -
ANS>>A
A patient on the medical unit is dying and the nurse has determined that the familys psychosocial
needs during the dying process need to be addressed. What is a cause of many patient care
dilemmas at the end of life? A) Poor communication between the family and the care team B) Denial
of imminent death on the part of the family or the patient Test Bank - Brunner & Suddarth's
Textbook of Medical-Surgical Nursing 14e (Hinkle 2017) 325 C) Limited visitation opportunities for
friends and family D) Conflict between family members - ANS>>A
The nurse is assessing a 73-year-old patient who was diagnosed with metastatic prostate cancer.
The nurse notes that the patient is exhibiting signs of loss, grief, and intense sadness. Based on
this assessment data, the nurse will document that the patient is most likely in what stage of death
and dying? A) Depression B) Denial C) Anger D) Resignation - ANS>>A
You are caring for a 50-year-old man diagnosed with multiple myeloma; he has just been told by the
care team that his prognosis is poor. He is tearful and trying to express his feelings, but he is
having difficulty. What should you do first? A) Ask if he would like you to sit with him while he
collects his thoughts. B) Tell him that you will leave for now but will be back shortly. C) Offer to call
pastoral care or a member of his chosen clergy. D) Reassure him that you can understand how he is
feeling - ANS>>A
The nurse in a pediatric ICU is caring for a child who is dying of sickle cell anemia. The childs
mother has been unable to eat or sleep and can talk only about her impending loss and the guilt she
feels about the childs pain and suffering. What intervention has the highest priority? A) Allowing the
patient to express her feelings without judging her B) Helping the patient to understand the phases
of the grieving process C) Reassuring the patient that the childs death is not her fault D) Arranging
for genetic counseling to inform the patient of her chances of having another child with the disease
