Living With Chronic Illness

Which of the following nursing interventions would be useful for assisting a patient with a chronic illness? (Select all that apply.) A. Teach the patient the skills required for effective self-care. B. Encourage verbalization of feelings. C. Help the patient set unrealistic goals and expectations. D. Provide access to resources. E. Help the patient maintain the highest practical level of functioning possible.

A. Teach the patient the skills required for effective self-care. B. Encourage verbalization of feelings. D. Provide access to resources. E. Help the patient maintain the highest practical level of functioning possible. In assisting a patient with chronic illness, the nurse can implement the following interventions: teaching the skills required for effective self-care, encouraging verbalization of feelings, and providing access to resources. It is important to assist the patient in setting realistic goals and expectations, not unrealistic ones.

An older person is a resident at a long-term care facility. She has recently been diagnosed with chronic fatigue. She also has COPD and emphysema. Which nursing interventions can assist the resident to successfully maintain maximal function and increase her ability for self-care? (Select all that apply.) A. Rush activities during the day, but set aside time for self-care. B. Act during times of peak energy. C. Delegate activities and learn to accept help when it is needed. D. Exercise whenever possible and according to the patient's emotional level. E. Exercise to increase muscle strength and endurance.

B. Act during times of peak energy. C. Delegate activities and learn to accept help when it is needed. E. Exercise to increase muscle strength and endurance. n order to successfully maintain maximal function, the resident must act during times of peak energy, delegate some activities, and learn to accept help as needed. She must also pace out activities during the day, rather than rush them. She should exercise appropriately to increase muscle strength and endurance; however, this would not be based on emotional stability.

Which term is used to describe assistive technologies for older people and is expected to significantly influence how older persons will live in the future? A. Gyrotechnology B. Gerotechnology C. Gerontechnology D. Geographonology

B. Gerotechnology Gerotechnology is the term used to describe assistive technologies for older people and is expected to significantly influence how older persons live in the future.

Which models are being used to build an integrated system to ensure that services meet the needs of individuals with chronic illness in a cost-effective manner? (Select all that apply.) A. Case management B. Disease management C. Evidence-informed protocols D. Care coordination E. Independent models of self-management

A. Case management B. Disease management C. Evidence-informed protocols D. Care coordination Managed care, case management, disease management, evidence-informed protocols for illness management, care coordination, and collaborative models of self-management are all examples of models being used to build an integrated system to ensure that services meet the needs of individuals with chronic illnesses in a cost-effective manner.

Which of the following models are useful for understanding chronic illness and assist nurses to implement interventions in the care of the elderly? (Select all that apply.) A. Chronic Illness Trajectory B. Rehabilitation Model C. Dynamic Illness Model D. Shifting Perspectives Model E. Person-Centred Care Model

A. Chronic Illness Trajectory D. Shifting Perspectives Model The Chronic Illness Trajectory and the Shifting Perspectives Model of Chronic Illness offer useful frameworks for understanding chronic illness and designing nursing interventions.

Which of the following statements explain the concept of a wellness approach to chronic illness? (Select all that apply.) A. Every person has an optimal level of functioning to achieve a good and satisfactory existence or state of well-being. B. A wellness approach means not being able to adapt quickly to changes in health and illness. C. A wellness approach is focused on a downward trajectory of life and future life events. D. Wellness is a state of being and feeling that one strives to achieve through motivation and health practices. E. The older person may reach plateaus in his or her ascension to a higher-level wellness.

A. Every person has an optimal level of functioning to achieve a good and satisfactory existence or state of well-being. D. Wellness is a state of being and feeling that one strives to achieve through motivation and health practices. E. The older person may reach plateaus in his or her ascension to a higher-level wellness. A wellness approach suggests that every person has an optimal level of functioning to achieve a good and satisfactory existence or state of well-being. Wellness is not given to a person; rather, it is a state of being and feeling that one strives to achieve through motivation and health practices. The greatest factor in establishing wellness is adaptation. Wellness is focused on a positive, upward trajectory in life, not a downward, negative trajectory. The older person may reach plateaus in his or her ascension to a higher-level wellness.

Which of the following are common iatrogenic complications associated with hospitalization of chronically ill older persons? (Select all that apply.) A. Pressure ulcers B. Loss of mobility C. Food poisoning D. Scabies E. Incontinence

A. Pressure ulcers B. Loss of mobility E. Incontinence Common iatrogenic problems associated with hospitalization include loss of mobility, incontinence, pressure ulcers, dehydration, and infection.

Which model of chronic illness describes illness as "an ongoing, continually shifting process in which the person moves between the perspectives of wellness-in-the-foreground and illness-in-the-foreground"? A. The Shifting Perspectives Model B. The Chronic Illness Trajectory Incorrect C. The Person-Centred Care Model D. The Dynamic-Illness Care Model

A. The Shifting Perspectives Model The Shifting Perspectives Model, derived from a synthesis of qualitative research findings, views living with chronic illness as an ongoing, continually shifting process in which the person moves between the perspectives of wellness-in-the-foreground and illness-in-the-foreground.

Which of the following statements are applicable to acute and chronic illness patterns? (Select all that apply.) A. Acute illnesses and chronic disorders can be separated into distinct categories. B. Acute illnesses and chronic disorders cannot be separated into distinct categories C. Acute illnesses in late life can quickly cause death, but chronic disorders can continue for an indefinite amount of time. D. Chronic illnesses in late life can be managed, but not cured E. Chronic illnesses in late life can be cured.

B. Acute illnesses and chronic disorders cannot be separated into distinct categories C. Acute illnesses in late life can quickly cause death, but chronic disorders can continue for an indefinite amount of time. D. Chronic illnesses in late life can be managed, but not cured Chronic disorders and acute illnesses cannot be separated into distinct categories, because so many conditions are intricately intertwined. Acute problems in later life can quickly cause death. A chronic illness, on the other hand, may continue indefinitely, is managed rather than cured, and necessitates that the individual learn to live with the illness.

Identify which of the following are components of the "5 C's of caring" framework, which enable nurses to meet the needs of older persons with chronic illness. (Select all that apply.) A. Courtesy: Providing well-mannered and respectful care to others B. Compassion: Being sensitive to the pain and brokenness of others C. Competence: Having the ability and skills to provide required nursing care D. Confidence: Inspiring trust through the nurse's caring E. Conscience: Practising within a moral framework

B. Compassion: Being sensitive to the pain and brokenness of others C. Competence: Having the ability and skills to provide required nursing care D. Confidence: Inspiring trust through the nurse's caring E. Conscience: Practising within a moral framework The "5 C's of caring" framework includes the following components: competence, compassion, conscience, commitment, and confidence. All of the 5 C's must be actualized in caring. In other words, being competent in skills without having compassion, or being compassionate without possessing adequate nursing skills and knowledge, does not demonstrate caring.

Which of the following is an important expectation or belief associated with the concept of wellness for older persons who have a chronic illness? A. Peace B. Hope C. Faith D. Love

B. Hope An important element of wellness is hope. Older persons who are suffering from a chronic illness speak about the importance of hope and the refusal to give up, despite limitations.

Which key strategies can nurses implement to improve the health of older people? (Select all that apply.) A. Teach self-dependent techniques for those with chronic illnesses. B. Promote injury prevention. C. Update immunizations. D. Promote healthy lifestyle behaviours. E. Provide preventative screenings.

B. Promote injury prevention. C. Update immunizations. D. Promote healthy lifestyle behaviours. E. Provide preventative screenings. Some key strategies that nurses can implement to improve the health of older people include incorporating healthy lifestyle behaviours, promoting injury prevention, updating immunization, and providing preventative screening. Teaching self-management techniques to those with chronic illness is also recommended.

___________or ____________ illnesses are "conditions that last a year or more and require ongoing medical attention, or limit activities of daily living." A. Acute; chronic B. Critical; chronic C. Chronic; acute D. Chronic, persistent

D. Chronic, persistent Chronic or persistent illnesses are "conditions that last a year or more and require ongoing medical attention, or limit activities of daily living"

Which of the following categories are classified as chronic illnesses in older persons? (Select all that apply.) A. Frailty (e.g., weight loss, muscle fatigue, weakness) B. Serious chronic conditions (e.g., cancer, organ system failure, dementia) C. Nonfatal chronic illness (e.g., osteoarthritis) D.Critical conditions (e.g., acute renal failure) E. Multi-morbidity (e.g., more than one condition)

Nonfatal chronic conditions are conditions such as osteoarthritis or hearing or vision impairments. These conditions contribute to disability and increased health care costs, but most individuals can live with them for many years. Serious illness can eventually turn into fatal chronic conditions such as cancers, organ system failures, dementia, or stroke. Frailty is a condition in which the body has few reserves left, so any disturbance can cause multiple health conditions and increased health care costs. Critical conditions such as acute renal failure are reversible, and therefore do not fall under the category of chronic illness. While multi-morbidity is a concern, it is not a categorization of chronic illnesses.