A group of nursing students is reviewing risk and protective factors associated for mental disorders in the older adult population. The students demonstrate understanding of the information when they identify which of the following as a protective factor?
- A. Poverty
- B. Education
- C. Loss
- D. Chronic illness
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Education is a protective factor for mental health in older adults, promoting cognitive reserve and coping skills. Poverty, loss, and chronic illness are risk factors, increasing vulnerability to mental disorders.
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A nursing student is reading an article about protective factors for mental illness with older adults. The article mentions the individual?s ability to adapt successfully to stress, trauma, or chronic adversity. The student identifies this as which of the following?
- A. Functional status
- B. Gerotransendence
- C. Resilience
- D. Empty nest
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Resilience is the ability to adapt to stress, trauma, or adversity, a key protective factor for mental health. Functional status refers to physical capabilities, gerotranscendence to spiritual aging, and empty nest to a life stage, not adaptation.
The nurse is working with a patient whose mobility is impaired secondary to a fall that resulted in a broken hip. In addition, the patient, who has diabetes, is developing problems with vision and hearing. The patient seems increasingly withdrawn and depressed. The nurse determines that the patient is at risk for spiritual distress. Which intervention would be most appropriate?
- A. Encourage the patient to talk about significant childhood religious experiences.
- B. Offer to take the patient to a revival the nurse?s church is holding in the community.
- C. Read to the patient Bible passages that seem particularly relevant to the patient?s case.
- D. Explore what the mobility, sight, and hearing changes mean to the patient.
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Exploring the meaning of the patient?s losses addresses spiritual distress by focusing on their personal values and coping, which is patient-centered. Religious interventions (A, B, C) may not align with the patient?s beliefs and could be inappropriate.
The nurse is working as part of a team to help reduce the stigma attached to mental health treatment for the older adult population. Which of the following would be most appropriate to do to achieve this outcome?
- A. Provide education about mental health and mental disorders.
- B. Initiate screening programs for symptoms.
- C. Ensure older adults received integrated community care.
- D. Institute a wide range of social support services.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Providing education about mental health and disorders directly reduces stigma by increasing understanding and normalizing treatment. Screening, integrated care, and social support are valuable but less directly address stigma.
A nurse is reviewing the medical records of several older adult patients who have come to the clinic for evaluation. The nurse would classify a patient of which age as being in the middle-old stage?
- A. 66-year-old adult
- B. 70-year-old adult
- C. 78-year-old adult
- D. 86-year-old adult
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The middle-old stage typically spans ages 75?84. A 78-year-old fits this category, while 66 and 70 are young-old, and 86 is old-old.
The nurse is planning a presentation to a group of older adults on the topic of suicide in the population. One of the group participants asks who has the highest risk of suicide. Which response by the nurse would be most appropriate?
- A. Older adults who have multiple prescriptions from a variety of different pharmacies.
- B. Older adults who are experiencing a deep and profound depression.
- C. Older adult women who are divorced or widowed.
- D. Men over the age of 75 years who are divorced or widowed.
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Men over 75 who are divorced or widowed have the highest suicide risk in older adults due to social isolation, loss, and gender-specific tendencies. Depression is a risk factor, but men in this demographic are particularly vulnerable. Women and polypharmacy are less specific.
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