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During shift report, a nurse is told that their patient admitted with an electrolyte imbalance is experiencing delirium. For which finding consistent with delirium will the nurse assess?
- A. Statements that they plan to harm themselves or take their own life
- B. Chronic memory loss and personality changes
- C. Acute confusion, disorientation, restlessness, or agitation
- D. Ability to be aroused by extreme and/or repeated stimuli
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Delirium is a state of acute confusion manifested by disorientation, restlessness, hallucinations, and agitation. Dementia is a chronic progressive illness characterized by difficulties with spatial orientation, memory, language, and changes in personality.
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When caring for an older adult who repeatedly states their food does not taste as good as it used to, a nurse explains that which factors can contribute to loss of taste as patients age? Select all that apply.
- A. Decreased sense of smell
- B. Presbycusis
- C. Medications
- D. Diseases
- E. Tobacco use
- F. Presbyopia
Correct Answer: A,C,D,E
Rationale: As the patient ages, gustatory senses, along with sense of smell, some medications, and smoking can blunt the taste (gustatory sense). Presbycusis refers to the reduced ability to hear, and presbyopia refers to the inability of the lens to accommodate to near (or far) objects.
In a group home where most residents have varying degrees of visual or hearing impairments and some are periodically confused, what nursing action is essential?
- A. Maintaining safety and preventing sensory deterioration
- B. Insisting that residents participate in as many self-care activities as possible
- C. Emphasizing and reinforcing individual patient strengths
- D. Encouraging reminiscence and life review in groups
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Safety is a basic physiologic need that must be met before higher-level needs such as love and belonging, self-esteem, and self-actualization can be met.
A school nurse is performing vision screenings on middle-school children. The nurse notes a student squinting and that their visual acuity using a Snellen's eye chart is 20/160. When questioned, the student states their grades have dropped, and they are having difficulty completing work on time. What is the best recommendation for the nurse to make to the student's guardian(s)?
- A. Purchase or prepare a calendar to organize assignments.
- B. Ensure the student understands what is expected of them in each class.
- C. Seek medical attention if the student has eye pain while at home.
- D. Obtain an appointment with an eye professional for further evaluation.
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Visual acuity of 20/160 indicates myopia; this student sees at 20 feet what a person with normal vision can see at 160 feet. The impaired vision is interfering with their academic performance, and further assessment by an eye care professional is indicated.
A nurse is providing information on smoking cessation at a hospital health fair. The nurse teaches that smoking cessation may help prevent what problem?
- A. Reduced vision due to macular degeneration
- B. Glare from cataracts
- C. Presbyopia and the need for corrective lenses
- D. Reduced auditory senses
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Macular degeneration is the leading cause of blindness in older adults. Smoking is a known risk factor for its development.
A home care nurse is visiting a group of patients. Which patient does the nurse identify as having the highest risk for sensory deprivation?
- A. Older adult confined to bed at home after a stroke
- B. Adolescent in an oncology unit working on homework
- C. Pregnant patient in active labor
- D. Toddler awaiting same-day surgery in a playroom
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The patient confined to bed rest at home has a high risk for greatly reduced environmental stimuli. The other patients are in environments in which environmental stimuli are present.