Critical Care Nursing NCLEX Questions Related

Review Critical Care Nursing NCLEX Questions related questions and content

The nurse is caring for four patients on the progressive car e unit. Which patient is at greatest risk for developing delirium?

  • A. 36-year-old recovering from a motor vehicle crash with an alcohol withdrawal protocol.
  • B. 54-year-old postoperative aortic aneurysm resection with an elevated creatinine level
  • C. 86-year-old from nursing home, postoperative from coalboirnb .croemse/tecstti on
  • D. 95-year-old with community-acquired pneumonia; fam ily has brought in eyeglasses and hearing aid
Correct Answer: C

Rationale: The correct answer is C, the 86-year-old postoperative from colonic resection. This patient is at the greatest risk for delirium due to being elderly, having undergone surgery, and having a history of being from a nursing home. These factors contribute to an increased susceptibility to delirium.

A: The 36-year-old with alcohol withdrawal may be at risk for delirium tremens, but the older age of the patient in choice C places them at higher risk.
B: The 54-year-old with an elevated creatinine level postoperative is at risk for complications, but age and history of nursing home placement increase the risk for delirium in choice C.
D: The 95-year-old with community-acquired pneumonia is at risk for delirium, but the combination of age, surgery, and nursing home history in choice C presents a greater risk.