An elderly patient who lives in a skilled nursing facility and who likes to walk is taking a medication that lowers blood pressure by dilating blood vessels. The best nursing action for this patient is to:

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Elderly patients are likely to have greater blood pressure fluctuations with position changes and are more susceptible to falls when taking drugs that cause orthostatic hypotension. Assistance with ambulation may offer safety, but if the patient has already fallen when getting out of bed or a chair, assisted ambulation is pointless.

An Elderly Patient Who Lives in a Skilled Nursing Facility