The nurse notes that an older community member who has been sad since the death of her spouse has experienced pneumonia and exacerbation of heart failure over the last 3 months. What should the nurse suspect is occurring with this patient?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Depression can have a significant impact on physical health, potentially weakening the immune system and exacerbating existing conditions such as heart failure. The correlation between the patient's sadness and the onset of physical illnesses suggests that depression might be contributing to the deterioration of her health.

The Nurse Notes That an Older Community Member Who Has