CHPN Exam Preparation

CHPN Preparation and Resources

The Hospice and Palliative Credentialing Center provides a list of recommended resources that may support candidates in preparing for the CHPN certification exam, featuring key textbooks with valuable insights into hospice and palliative care.

At BoardCerts, we account for these recommended resources and the exam blueprint when developing the question banks to ensure they are accurate, relevant, and aligned with the core competencies of hospice and palliative care nursing.

Key Concepts on CHPN Exam

Exam Categories: Percentage Distribution

CHPN Blueprint and Focus Areas

Area of Focus	Subtopics	Number of Questions	Percent of Exam
Patient Care – Assessment and Planning	Goals of care and shared decision making Interdisciplinary care planning and ongoing evaluation Life-limiting disease progression, complications, and treatment Indicators of imminent death Identify patient/caregiver goals and expected outcomes Develop a plan of care to achieve goals and expected outcomes Coordinate patient care with other health care providers through the continuum of care Coordinate transfer to a different level of care or different care setting Identify specific patterns of progression, complications, and treatment for life-limiting conditions Identify and respond to indicators of imminent death Evaluate progress toward outcomes and update goals Monitor need for changes in levels of care	25	18%
Patient Care – Pain Management	Etiology of pain, types of pain, and pain syndromes Verbal and nonverbal indicators of pain and pain scales Factors that may influence the patient's experience of pain (e.g., fear, depression, cultural, and spiritual issues) Medications appropriate to severity and specific type of pain (opioid, non-opioid, adjuvant) Titration of medication to determine baseline and breakthrough doses Dosage equivalents when changing analgesics or route of administration Non-pharmacologic interventions (e.g., ice, positioning, palliative surgery, palliative radiation, psychological therapy) Complementary and alternative therapies (e.g., Reiki, hypnosis, acupressure, massage, pet therapy, music therapy) Perform comprehensive assessment of pain Identify and administer pharmacologic interventions Identify and implement non-pharmacologic and complementary interventions Assess for and respond to complications (e.g., side effects, interactions) and efficacy	26	19%
Patient Care – Symptom Management	Neurological Cardiovascular Respiratory Gastrointestinal Genitourinary Musculoskeletal Skin and mucous membrane Nutritional and metabolic Immune/Lymphatic/Hematologic system Psychosocial, emotional, and spiritual Provide evidence-based palliative management of signs and symptoms associated with life-limiting conditions Provide evidence-based palliative management for psychosocial, emotional, and spiritual needs	28	21%
Support, Education, and Advocacy	Advance care planning (e.g., advance directives, life sustaining therapies) Hospice and palliative care benefits under Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurance Patient safety: environmental, physical, socioemotional Communication: techniques, barriers, and cultural humility Psychosocial, spiritual, and cultural needs Medication management and controlled substances Caregiver/Family self-care activities End-stage disease at terminal phase Grief and loss support / bereavement services Support at time of death and post-mortem care Ethical issues related to end of life Assess and respond to psychosocial, spiritual, and cultural needs Facilitate effective communication among patient, family, and caregivers Encourage patient/caregiver participation in interdisciplinary team/group discussions Counsel or provide emotional support regarding grief and loss Facilitate and coordinate support throughout the continuum of care Teach end-stage disease progression Teach pain and symptom management Train caregiver to provide patient care Monitor, support, and validate primary caregiver confidence and ability to provide care Promote caregiver self-care activities Provide education about access and use of services, medications, supplies, and durable medical equipment (DME) Assess and respond to environmental and safety risks Facilitate self-determined life closure	28	21%
Practice Issues	Hospice and palliative care compliance under Medicare/Medicaid National hospice and palliative care standards National practice guidelines and standards (e.g., National Consensus Project) Legal regulations (e.g., OSHA, CMS, HIPAA) Professional boundaries Strategies for self-care and stress management Trends in legislation, policy, health care delivery, and reimbursement as they impact hospice and palliative care Evaluate eligibility for admission and hospice recertification Incorporate standards, guidelines, and legal regulations into practice Identify and address ethical concerns Participate in continuous quality assurance and performance improvement activities Maintain professional boundaries Incorporate strategies for self-care and stress management into practice Contribute to professional development of peers, colleagues, students, and others as preceptor, educator, or mentor	28	21%

CHPN Resources

The BoardCerts CHPN Question Bank is expertly crafted to align with the official exam blueprint, helping each individual concentrate on the most relevant topics for success. In addition, the exam candidate handbook lists the following resources as additional possible material to support preparation:

CMS Medicare Hospice Center
Conversations in Palliative Care: Questions and Answers with the Experts, Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association.
Oxford Textbook of Palliative Nursing, Oxford University Press.
Core Curriculum for the Hospice and Palliative RN, Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association.
Palliative Care Nursing: Quality Care to the End of Life, Springer Publishing Company, LLC.
Compendium of Nursing Care for Common Serious Illnesses, Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association.
Principles & Practice of Palliative Care and Supportive Oncology, Wolters Kluwer Health.
Palliative Nursing: Scope and Standards of Practice, Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association.
Cancer Nursing: Principles and Practice, Jones and Bartlett Learning.

BoardCerts Question Bank

The BoardCerts CHPN Question Bank is meticulously designed in coordination with Hospice Palliative Review and aligns with the official exam blueprint, ensuring you focus on the most relevant material for success.

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CHPN Exam Preparation

CHPN Preparation and Resources

Key Concepts on CHPN Exam

Exam Categories: Percentage Distribution

CHPN Blueprint and Focus Areas

CHPN Resources

BoardCerts Question Bank

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CHPN Exam Preparation