An alert and well-oriented 78-year-old patient with multiple health problems rarely gets out of bed and complains of having "no energy" and feeling increasingly weak. The patient has had an 11-pound weight loss over the last year. The nurse should initially

Question

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In the frail elderly patient, nutrition is frequently compromised, and the nurse's initial action should be to assess the patient's nutritional status. Active range-of-motion may be helpful in improving the patient's strength and endurance, but nutritional assessment is the priority because the patient has had a significant weight loss. The patient may be a candidate for long-term-care placement, but more assessment is needed before this can be determined. The patient's assessment data are not consistent with normal changes associated with aging.

An Alert and Well-Oriented 78-Year-Old Patient with Multiple Health Problems