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The presence of a gerontologic advanced practice nurse in a long-term care facility has proved beneficial to both the patients and the larger community in which they live. Nurses in this advanced practice role have been shown to cause what outcome?
- A. Greater interaction between younger adults and older adults occurs.
- B. The elderly recover more quickly from acute illnesses.
- C. Less deterioration takes place in the overall health of patients.
- D. The elderly are happier in long-term care facilities than at home.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The use of advanced practice nurses who have been educated in geriatric nursing concepts has proved to be very effective when dealing with the complex care needs of an older patient. When best practices are used and current scientific knowledge applied to clinical problems, significantly less deterioration occurs in the overall health of aging patients. This does not necessarily mean that patients are happier in long-term care than at home, that they recover more quickly from acute illnesses, or greater interaction occurs between younger and older adults.
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The nurse is providing patient teaching to a patient with early stage Alzheimers disease (AD) and her family. The patient has been prescribed donepezil hydrochloride (Aricept). What should the nurse explain to the patient and family about this drug?
- A. It slows the progression of AD.
- B. It cures AD in a small minority of patients.
- C. It removes the patients insight that he or she has AD.
- D. It limits the physical effects of AD and other dementias.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: There is no cure for AD, but several medications have been introduced to slow the progression of the disease, including donepezil hydrochloride (Aricept). These medications do not remove the patients insight or address physical symptoms of AD.
You are the nurse planning an educational event for the nurses on a subacute medical unit on the topic of normal, age-related physiological changes. What phenomenon would you include in your teaching plan?
- A. A decrease in cognition, judgment, and memory
- B. A decrease in muscle mass and bone density
- C. The disappearance of sexual desire for both men and women
- D. An increase in sebaceous and sweat gland function in both men and women
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Normal signs of aging include a decrease in the sense of smell, a decrease in muscle mass, a decline but not disappearance of sexual desire, and decreased sebaceous and sweat glands for both men and women. Cognitive changes are usually attributable to pathologic processes, not healthy aging.
An occupational health nurse overhears an employee talking to his manager about a 65 -year-old coworker. What phenomenon would the nurse identify when hearing the employee state, He should just retire and make way for some new blood.?
- A. Intolerance
- B. Ageism
- C. Dependence
- D. Nonspecific prejudice
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Ageism refers to prejudice against the aged. Intolerance is implied by the employees statement, but the intolerance is aimed at the coworkers age. The employees statement does not raise concern about dependence. The prejudice exhibited in the statement is very specific.
You are the nurse caring for an elderly patient who is being treated for community-acquired pneumonia. Since the time of admission, the patient has been disoriented and agitated to varying degrees. Appropriate referrals were made and the patient was subsequently diagnosed with dementia. What nursing diagnosis should the nurse prioritize when planning this patients care?
- A. Social isolation related to dementia
- B. Hopelessness related to dementia
- C. Risk for infection related to dementia
- D. Acute confusion related to dementia
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Acute confusion is a priority problem in patients with dementia, and it is an immediate threat to their health and safety. Hopelessness and social isolation are plausible problems, but the patients cognition is a priority. The patients risk for infection is not directly influenced by dementia.
As the population of the United States ages, research has shown that this aging will occur across all racial and ethnic groups. A community health nurse is planning an initiative that will focus on the group in which the aging population is expected to rise the fastest. What group should the nurse identify?
- A. Asian-Americans
- B. White non-Hispanics
- C. Hispanics
- D. African-Americans
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Although the older population will increase in number for all racial and ethnic groups, the rate of growth is projected to be fastest in the Hispanic population that is expected to increase from 6 million in 2004 to an estimated 17.5 million by 2050.