Question 1

Why is ageism an important concept to understand when caring for the elderly?&#10;A) May damage the self-esteem of older adults&#10;B) Increases social awareness of the needs of older adults&#10;C) Provides statistical information regarding the older adult population&#10;D) Promotes consideration of the diversity of the older adult population

Accepted Answer

Ageism can negatively impact the mental health and well-being of older adults by damaging their self-esteem, as it involves stereotypes and discrimination based on age.

Question 2

An older adult patient has experienced physiological changes of the cardiovascular system that are related to aging.What is an appropriate nursing diagnosis for the nurse to document for this patient?&#10;A) Fatigue related to decreased hemoglobin&#10;B) Activity intolerance related to bed rest deconditioning&#10;C) Fatigue related to loss of muscle strength and increased work of breathing&#10;D) Activity intolerance related to imbalance between oxygen supply and demand

Accepted Answer

The physiological changes of the cardiovascular system related to aging can result in an imbalance between oxygen supply and demand, leading to activity intolerance. This can be due to decreased cardiac output, decreased ability to increase heart rate in response to exercise, and decreased ability to increase oxygen extraction by the tissues. Fatigue related to decreased hemoglobin is more related to anemia or blood loss, while fatigue related to loss of muscle strength and work of breathing is more related to respiratory or muscular disorders, respectively.

Question 3

Which of the following is a normal physiological age-related change of the cardiovascular system?&#10;A) Elastin and smooth muscle increases.&#10;B) Vessel rigidity decreases.&#10;C) Heart muscle decreases.&#10;D) Mitral valve constriction increases.

Accepted Answer

As individuals age, the heart muscle (myocardium) tends to decrease in size and become less efficient. This can lead to a decrease in cardiac output and an increased risk for certain cardiovascular diseases. Elastin and smooth muscle tend to decrease with age, contributing to vessel rigidity, and mitral valve constriction is not a normal physiological age-related change.

Question 4

In planning care for older adult patients with chronic illnesses,what does the nurse recognize that management of chronic illness requires?&#10;A) Institutionalization in long-term care facilities&#10;B) Adjusting to changes in the course of the disease&#10;C) Restricting social interactions outside of the home&#10;D) Frequent hospitalizations for treatment of acute episodes of the illness

Accepted Answer

Management of chronic illness for older adult patients requires adjusting to changes in the course of the disease. This may involve changes in medications, lifestyle modifications, and regular monitoring of symptoms to prevent acute exacerbations. Institutionalization, restricting social interactions, and frequent hospitalizations may not be necessary or appropriate for all patients with chronic illnesses.

Question 5

What should be considered when developing the plan of care for an older adult who is hospitalized for an acute illness?&#10;A) Use a standardized geriatric nursing care plan.&#10;B) Consider preadmission functional abilities when setting goals.&#10;C) Minimize activity level during hospitalization.&#10;D) Plan for likely long-term care transfer to allow additional time for recovery.

Accepted Answer

When developing a plan of care for an older adult who is hospitalized for an acute illness, it is important to consider the individual's preadmission functional abilities to set appropriate goals for recovery. This helps to ensure that the plan is tailored to the patient's specific needs and is achievable. Using a standardized geriatric nursing care plan may be helpful but is not sufficient on its own. Minimizing activity level is not recommended as it can lead to deconditioning and prolonged hospitalization. Planning for long-term care transfer should only be considered if it is medically necessary.

Question 6

What data collection method does the nurse recognize as eliciting the most complete information during a geriatric assessment?&#10;A) Having the patient recount his or her health history&#10;B) Having the caregiver provide the information on the patient&#10;C) Using a reliable geriatric assessment instrument to evaluate the patient&#10;D) Having the patient provide a diary of medical conditions and treatments

Accepted Answer

Using a reliable geriatric assessment instrument is recognized as the most effective method for eliciting complete information during a geriatric assessment. These instruments are specifically designed to evaluate the multifaceted needs of older adults, covering physical health, mental health, functional abilities, and social circumstances, thereby providing a comprehensive overview of the patient's condition.

Question 7

What is an appropriate teaching topic to help prevent drug-drug interactions in an older adult patient taking many medications?&#10;A) &#34;Do not take any over-the-counter drugs with your prescription drugs.&#34;&#10;B) &#34;Be sure a family member knows the name and use of all of your medications.&#34;&#10;C) &#34;Bring all the medications,supplements,and herbs that you use to every health care appointment.&#34;&#10;D) &#34;Use a medication reminder system so that you won't forget to take your medications as scheduled.&#34;

Accepted Answer

Bringing all of the medications, supplements, and herbs that a patient uses to healthcare appointments helps healthcare providers identify potential drug-drug interactions and make appropriate adjustments. This is especially important for older adults who may be taking many medications for multiple conditions. Option A is too broad and may cause patients to avoid necessary over-the-counter medications. Option B is important, but doesn't directly address drug-drug interactions. Option D is helpful but does not prevent drug-drug interactions.

Question 8

When performing a nutrition assessment of an older adult using the SCALES acronym,what would the nurse be assessing when documenting the findings from the &#34;A&#34; portion of this assessment tool?&#10;A) Anxiety&#10;B) Albumin level&#10;C) Appearance in general&#10;D) AC glucose level

Accepted Answer

The "A" in the SCALES acronym stands for albumin level, which is a protein commonly used as an indicator of malnutrition in older adults. The nurse would assess the patient's serum albumin level to determine their nutritional status.

Question 9

In planning care for an older adult,what does the nurse recognize as a major goal of health promotion and prevention of health problems in the elderly?&#10;A) Adequate planning for post-hospital care&#10;B) Preventing the physiological degeneration of aging&#10;C) Teaching the older adult about alternative care options&#10;D) Increasing personal participation and responsibility in health

Accepted Answer

Increasing personal participation and responsibility in health is a major goal of health promotion and prevention of health problems in the elderly. This includes encouraging the older adult to take an active role in their own health care and promoting healthy lifestyle choices. Adequate planning for post-hospital care and teaching about alternative care options are also important, but do not necessarily address prevention of health problems. Preventing physiological degeneration of aging is not achievable, but preventative measures can help delay its onset.

Question 10

The nurse assesses an older adult patient's living arrangements and care needs with the knowledge that abuse of older adults often occurs in which of the following situations?&#10;A) Stress in the caregiver is overwhelming.&#10;B) Programs for the elderly are not being utilized.&#10;C) Several generations are providing the care.&#10;D) The older adult is not appreciative of those who provide care.

Accepted Answer

Abuse of older adults often occurs when the stress in the caregiver is overwhelming, as this can lead to frustration and potential mistreatment of the older adult.

Question 11

In establishing a therapeutic environment for an older adult patient,how can the nurse provide special considerations?&#10;A) Limiting the contact to 15-minute intervals&#10;B) Allowing greater time to gather a medical history&#10;C) Speaking slowly and loudly to ensure understanding&#10;D) Ensuring that the patient is free of pain and is comfortable

Accepted Answer

The answer of In establishing a therapeutic environment for an...

Question 12

While obtaining a health history,the nurse finds that the patient takes daily supplements of the antioxidants beta carotene,selenium,and vitamin E.What biological aging theory is related to the use of these substances?

A) Free radicals
B) Cross-linking
C) Somatic mutation
D) Telomere-telomerase depletion

Accepted Answer

The answer of While obtaining a health history,the nurse finds...

Question 13

The frail older adult is at particularly high risk for which one of the following health interferences?&#10;A) Hip fractures&#10;B) Malnutrition&#10;C) Overhydration&#10;D) Obesity

Accepted Answer

The answer of The frail older adult is at particularly...

Question 14

As the nurse is teaching a 72-year-old woman about her new medications,she replies that she "just can't remember all that information anymore." What knowledge about aging does the nurse use to understand why the woman may have difficulty learning about the medications?

A) Intellectual ability declines with age.
B) All mental abilities slow as individual's age.
C) Declining physical health can impair cognitive function.
D) Impaired vocabulary and verbal function decrease reasoning with age.

Accepted Answer

The answer of As the nurse is teaching a 72-year-old...

Question 15

In planning discharge teaching for an older,homeless adult,what is a common reason that older homeless adults often do not utilize shelter and meal-site services?&#10;A) They are ashamed about being homeless.&#10;B) They fear that they will be institutionalized.&#10;C) They feel that they do not deserve community support.&#10;D) They feel that use of such services means they cannot make it on their own.

Accepted Answer

The answer of In planning discharge teaching for an older,homeless...

Question 16

Which of the following functions declines during old age?&#10;A) Fluid intelligence&#10;B) Spatial perception&#10;C) Mental performance speed&#10;D) Short-term recall memory

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of the following functions declines during...

Question 17

Which of the following is an element of a stochastic theory of aging?&#10;A) Programmed&#10;B) Transcription&#10;C) Neuroendocrine&#10;D) Immunological-autoimmunological

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of the following is an element...

Question 18

When admitting an older adult patient to the hospital,the nurse asks the patient about advance directives.The patient notes that he has a proxy directive for health care.What does the nurse recognize that the patient has done?

A) Left instructions that are not legally binding about actions to be taken regarding his care in the event of a terminal or irreversible condition
B) Designated another person to make legally binding health care decisions for him if he is unable to do so for himself
C) Documented directions that are legally binding about actions to be taken regarding his care in the event of a terminal or irreversible condition
D) Designated another person to make health care decisions for him if he is unable to do so for himself,but those decisions are not legally binding.

Accepted Answer

The answer of When admitting an older adult patient to...

Question 19

Which of the following is an appropriate approach that the nurse should use to facilitate learning in older adults?&#10;A) Using peer educators&#10;B) Avoiding issues of a personal nature&#10;C) Presenting material quickly to avoid fatigue&#10;D) Acknowledging the older adult's dependence

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of the following is an appropriate...

Deck 7: Older Adults