Question 1

An older patient asks the nurse about taking Echinacea to prevent colds.What response by the nurse is best?

Accepted Answer

Echinacea's effectiveness and production quality can vary, making it important to caution patients about potential inconsistencies in product quality. This response addresses the concern without dismissing the use of herbal remedies outright or making broad statements about their effects on immunity or suitability for older adults.

Question 2

A nurse has identified an older patient as being at high risk of infection.Which assessment data indicate that priority goals for this diagnosis have been met?

Accepted Answer

D

Question 3

The gerontologic nurse identifies which patient as having the greatest risk of immunosuppression as?

Accepted Answer

Patients receiving treatment for rheumatoid arthritis often take immunosuppressive medications to manage their condition, which increases their risk of immunosuppression more directly than the other options listed.

Question 4

The nurse caring for an older adult patient being treated for influenza is especially careful to monitor and document assessment data related to which of the following?

Accepted Answer

Influenza can cause respiratory complications, such as pneumonia, in older adults. Therefore, closely monitoring respiratory function and documenting any changes is essential to ensure prompt intervention if needed. While monitoring cognitive function, fluid intake, and urinary output are also important aspects of nursing care, they may not be directly related to the treatment of influenza in this patient population.

Question 5

The nurse is preparing an educational facts sheet on human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)for older adults.What information does the nurse include? (Select all that apply. )

Accepted Answer

- Delayed recognition of HIV in older adults often leads to a poor prognosis because the infection may be advanced by the time it is diagnosed. This delay can result from a lack of awareness among healthcare providers and patients about the risk of HIV in older adults, leading to less frequent testing and recognition of symptoms.- There is a shorter interval from HIV infection to AIDS in older adults compared to younger individuals. This is due to the older adults' immune system being less robust, making it more difficult for their bodies to fight off the virus and leading to a faster progression of the disease.

Question 6

An older adult patient is experiencing problems with chewing while recovering from extensive oral surgery.Which action by the nurse best affects this patient's risk for infection?

Accepted Answer

The answer of An older adult patient is experiencing problems...

Question 7

The student learning about immunity understands that the chain of infection contains which parts? (Select all that apply. )

Accepted Answer

The chain of infection includes several elements necessary for an infection to spread: a portal of entry for the pathogen to enter a new host (A), a susceptible host who can be infected (B), and a reservoir where the pathogen can live, grow, and multiply (D). Virulence factors (C) are characteristics that enable a pathogen to cause disease but are not considered a part of the chain of infection itself. Decreased immunity (E) might make a host more susceptible but is not a component of the chain of infection; it relates more to the condition of the host.

Question 8

A student nurse is caring for a patient who has vancomycin-resistant enterococcus (VRE).What action by the student requires the nurse to intervene?

Accepted Answer

Taking personal equipment into the room can potentially spread the VRE to other patients or areas within the healthcare facility. It is important to use the equipment designated for the isolation room and sanitize it appropriately before leaving the room.

Question 9

An older patient is hospitalized for an exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD),for which the patient is on chronic steroid use.The patient also has a fresh dog bite on the arm,which is not reddened or swollen,and is only slightly tender.The patient is afebrile,but the nurse finds the patient confused and agitated.What action by the nurse is most appropriate?

Accepted Answer

The patient's confusion and agitation, along with a fresh dog bite, suggest a possible infection despite the lack of typical signs like redness or fever. Chronic steroid use can mask infection symptoms, so a sepsis screening is appropriate to rule out or confirm sepsis.

Question 10

The nurse studying immunity understands that which are age-related changes in immune system functioning? (Select all that apply. )

Accepted Answer

The answer of The nurse studying immunity understands that which...

Question 11

The nurse wishes to control infection by manipulating the portal of entry.What action best demonstrates this process?

Accepted Answer

Controlling infection by manipulating the portal of entry means preventing microorganisms from entering the body through vulnerable areas. Using sterile technique to insert a catheter is a good example of this because it reduces the risk of introducing microorganisms into the body through the urethra. Encouraging patients to eat high-protein meals, ensuring housekeeping keeps rooms clean, or providing patients with vitamin supplements may have other health benefits but they do not directly manipulate the portal of entry to control infection.

Question 12

To educate patients on health promotion measures to minimize the effect of normal age-related changes in immunity,the gerontologic nurse does which of the following?

Accepted Answer

The answer of To educate patients on health promotion measures...

Question 13

A patient who is currently being treated for rheumatoid arthritis exhibits symptoms suspicious of tuberculosis (TB).The nurse anticipates that

Accepted Answer

Patients with rheumatoid arthritis who are on immunosuppressive therapy, such as corticosteroids, may have a suppressed immune response, leading to a false-negative PPD skin test.

Question 14

An older patient smoked tobacco most of the adult life.When planning health promotion education for this patient,what information does the nurse include about smoking?

Accepted Answer

The answer of An older patient smoked tobacco most of...

Question 15

A patient is hospitalized with a nonhealing leg ulcer.Lab work does not demonstrate anemia.What action by the nurse is best?

Accepted Answer

Nonhealing ulcers can sometimes be due to nutritional deficiencies. A serum zinc level can help determine if there is a deficiency in zinc, which can impair wound healing. Lab work not demonstrating anemia means that an iron deficiency is unlikely, making option D unnecessary. While high-protein meals are important for wound healing, it does not address a potential nutritional deficiency that might be causing the nonhealing ulcer. Option B may be helpful in general, but it does not specifically address the nonhealing ulcer.

Question 16

An immunosuppressed older adult patient reports symptoms of fatigue,facial rash,intermittent low-grade fever,and painfully swollen finger joints.The nurse anticipates which of the following findings?

Accepted Answer

The symptoms described are suggestive of an autoimmune disorder such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) or rheumatoid arthritis (RA). A positive ANA blood serum test is a common finding in patients with autoimmune disorders. The other options are not typically associated with these symptoms.

Question 17

The nurse caring for an older adult patient currently receiving traditional drug therapy for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)recognizes that the patient is at risk for developing which of the following complications?

Accepted Answer

Older adults receiving traditional drug therapy for MRSA are at risk for developing a VRE infection, as both MRSA and VRE are resistant to common antibiotics. Clostridium difficile infection, autoimmune hepatitis, and systemic lupus erythematosus are not directly associated with MRSA infection or its treatment.

Question 18

A patient is receiving chemotherapy to treat cancer.What instructions does the nurse provide the patient and family to reduce the chance of infection? (Select all that apply. )

Accepted Answer

The answer of A patient is receiving chemotherapy to treat...

Question 19

Which action by the nurse caring for a cognitively impaired older adult admitted to an acute care facility best minimizes this particular patient's risk for developing infections?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which action by the nurse caring for...

Quiz 14: Infection and Inflammation