A 78-year-old nursing home resident with hypertension and cardiac disease is usually alert and oriented.This morning,however,the resident says,"My family visited during the night.They stood by the bed and talked to me." In reality,the patient's family lives 200 miles away.The nurse should first suspect that the resident:

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A resident taking medications is at high risk for becoming confused because of medication side effects,drug interactions,and delayed excretion.The nurse should report the event and continue to assess for cognitive impairment.Symptoms of dementia develop slowly but persist over time.Alcohol dependency and withdrawal are not the nurse's first suspicion in this scenario.

A 78-Year-Old Nursing Home Resident with Hypertension and Cardiac Disease