Nokea
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.
You may also like to solve these questions
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.
An older patient tells the nurse that she is becoming more forgetful. The nurse explains to the patient that this is most likely related to which of the following?
- A. Anxiety
- B. Organic brain syndrome
- C. Plaques in the brain tissue
- D. Medications
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Medications, especially those with anticholinergic or sedative effects, are a common cause of forgetfulness in older adults. Anxiety may contribute, but medications are more likely. Organic brain syndrome and plaques suggest more severe conditions like dementia, not initially assumed.
A nurse is preparing to conduct an assessment of a 79-year-old woman who has come to the clinic for evaluation. When performing this assessment, which of the following would be most appropriate for the nurse to do? Select all that apply.
- A. Dim any lights that appear too bright.
- B. Face the patient from the side.
- C. Use short, simple sentences.
- D. Focus on one topic at a time.
- E. Speak slowly in a shouting tone.
Correct Answer: A,C,D
Rationale: Appropriate assessment techniques for older adults include dimming bright lights (A) to reduce glare, using short, simple sentences (C), and focusing on one topic (D) to accommodate sensory and cognitive changes. Facing from the side (B) is less effective than facing directly, and shouting (E) may be inappropriate or distressing.
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.
After checking a patient?s blood pressure, he asks the nurse what changes he should expect in himself as he grows older. Which response by the nurse would be most appropriate?
- A. You don?t have anything to worry about; you will basically stay the same.
- B. Your personality will stay the same, but your intelligence level will lessen somewhat.
- C. Usually, you can anticipate that you will begin to react to things more slowly.
- D. You will become increasingly childlike, and your personality will change.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Older adults typically experience slower reaction times due to age-related cognitive and neurological changes. Personality and intelligence remain relatively stable, and becoming childlike is not a normal aging process.