Chapter 11 Prep U

The nurse is working in a long-term care facility. When assessing her patients, what body system dysfunction should the nurse look for as the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the older adult population?

Cardiovascular

A nurse is obtaining the health history of a 72-year-old woman who has come to the ambulatory care center for an evaluation. When obtaining information about the woman's sleep patterns, which of the following would the nurse expect to assess?

Complaints about frequently waking up during the night

Which is an accurate rationale for why older adults are more susceptible to serious infections?

They have less efficient defense mechanisms.

An older adult patient has just been admitted to a long-term care facility. Which of the following would be most important to reduce the risk for infection?

Use the purified protein derivative test to evaluate for tuberculosis.

Older adults, who are more subject to falls, may fracture one or more ribs and be more susceptible to which condition after a rib fracture?

Pneumonia

A nurse is caring for a client with dementia. A family member of the client asks what the most common cause of dementia is. Which response by the nurse is most appropriate?

"The most common cause of dementia in the elderly is Alzheimer's disease."

Students are preparing a class presentation on elder abuse. Which of the following would they include as the most common type of elder abuse?

Neglect

Which neurotransmitter is implicated in depression?

Serotonin

A family of a patient with Alzheimer's disease asks the nurse what causes this condition? Which response by the nurse would be most appropriate?

"Evidence shows that there are changes in nerve cells and brain chemicals."

A client reports to the nurse that her grandmother with Alzheimer's disease recently moved in with her and her two school-aged children. The client states the grandmother becomes agitated and starts yelling and crying frequently. The woman asks, "What can I do?" The nurse first responds:

"What precipitates the outbursts?"

When assessing an older adult, the nurse anticipates an increase in which component of respiratory status?

Residual lung volume

A client reports to the nurse that her elderly mother has become increasingly angry and responds inappropriately to conversations within the past few months. She notes that her mother does not respond when the mother's back is turned. The best intervention of the nurse is to

Ask if the mother could come in for a hearing evaluation.

A client has recently brought her elderly mother home to live with her family. The client states that her mother has moderate Alzheimer's disease and asks about appropriate activities for her mother. The nurse tells the client to

Ensure that the mother does not have access to car keys or drive an automobile.

An elderly client exhibits blood pressure of 110/76 while prone, 100/72 sitting, and 92/64 standing. The nurse instructs the client to

Ingest five or six small meals each day.

An elderly client is hospitalized for treatment related to leukemia. Family members want to visit with a toddler who has a cold. It would be best for the nurse to

Instruct the family to remove the toddler from the room for the protection of the client.

Ageism refers to

bias against older people based solely on chronological age.

The most common affective or mood disorder of old age is

depression

The reason that federal and state governments carefully regulate treatment given in licensed health care facilities, particularly long-term care facilities, is expressed by which statement?

Older adult clients are vulnerable.

A patient with Alzheimer's disease is prescribed donepezil (Aricept). When teaching the patient and family about this drug, which of the following would the nurse include?

"The drug helps to control the symptoms of the disease."

When assessing an older adult's gastrointestinal system, the nurse would identify an increase in which of the following as normal?

Feeling of fullness

The plan of care for a patient with advanced Alzheimer's disease includes the nursing diagnosis of risk for injury. The nurse has identified this nursing diagnosis most likely as related to which of the following?

Impaired memory

An elderly female client tells the nurse she has trouble holding her "water." A nursing intervention is informing the client to

have adequate fluid intake

To encourage adequate nutritional intake for a client with Alzheimer's disease, a nurse should:

stay with the client and encourage him to eat.

A hospitalized older adult complains of increased coughing and shortness of breath. The nurse assesses the vital signs as temperature 100.2°F oral, respirations 18, pulse 88, and BP 128/80. What action should the nurse do next?

Assess lung sounds and sputum.

The nurse is preparing an elderly hospitalized client for discharge to home within the hour. What should be the priority for the nurse?

Assess the need for pneumococcal and influenza vaccinations.

A nurse is assessing an elderly client with senile dementia. Which neurotransmitter condition is most likely to contribute to this client's cognitive changes?

Decreased acetylcholine level

Which is an age-related change in the respiratory system?

Decreased gas exchange

Which condition is characterized by a decline in intellectual functioning?

Dementia

A client with Alzheimer disease becomes agitated while the nurse is attempting to take vital signs. What action by the nurse is most appropriate?

Distract the client with a familiar object or music.

A nurse is teaching nursing assistants in an extended-care facility measures to protect the skin of elderly clients. Which of the following measures is the nurse likely to recommend?

Encouraging clients to avoid cigarette smoking

Which are leading causes of death among the elderly? Select all that apply.

Heart disease

An elderly client reports that he feels like he voids frequently during the day and at night but cannot empty his bladder. The nurse instructs the client to

Limit ingestion of caffeinated beverages.

A client with moderate Alzheimer's disease has been eating poorly, losing weight, and playing with food at meals. The nurse best intervenes by

Placing one food at a time in front of the client during meals

Which action is included in a nurse's role when providing home care for a client with Alzheimer disease?

Provide emotional and physical support

Which is a factor that contributes to urinary incontinence in older female adults?

Relaxed perineal muscle

A client reports to the nurse that her mother had macular degeneration and is concerned that she, too, may be at risk. The nurse tells the client to

Wear sunglasses with ultraviolet (UV) protection when outside.