4410: H&I3 Exam 3 - Cognition,
Behavior Test Questions with Solved
Solutions Graded A+(2025-2026)
Updated.
The nurse administers the Confusion Assessment Method (CAM) tool to differentiate among
various cognitive disorders, primarily because:
A. delirium can be reversed by treating the underlying cause
B. depression in a common cause of dementia in older adults
C. nursing care should be based on the cause of cognitive impairments
D. drug therapy with antipsychotics is indicated in the treatment of dementia - Answer A.
delirium can be reversible
the CAM is used to diagnose delirium
Nurses working with clients who have a diagnosis of dementia should adopt a common
approach of care, because these clients have a need to do what?
1. Have sameness and consistency in their environment
2. Relate in a consistent manner to staff
3. Learn that the staff cannot be manipulated
4. Accept controls that are concrete and fairly applied - Answer 1. Have sameness and
consistency in their environment
An older patient is admitted to the hospital with a UTI and possible bacterial sepsis. The family
is concerned because the patient is confused and not able to carry on a conversation. Which
statement by the nurse is most appropriate?
a. "Depression is a common cause of confusion in older adults."
b. It is normal for an older person to have cognitive problems while in the hospital."
c. "The mental changes are most likely caused by the infection and most often reversible."
d. Drug therapy with antipsychotic agents is indicated to slow the progression of dementia." -
Answer c. "The mental changes are most likely caused by the infection and most often
reversible."
The nurse is sitting with the family of a patient who has just received the diagnosis of dementia.
The family asks for information on what treatment will be needed to cure the condition. What is
the nurse's best response.
a. "Hormone therapy will reverse the condition."
b. "Vitamin C and zinc will reverse the condition."
,c. "There is no treatment to reverse dementia."
d. "Dementia can be reversed with diet, exercise, ad medications." - Answer C.
Dementia is irreversible. Delirium is reversible.
A patient is admitted to a long-term care facility and has a nursing diagnosis of impaired
memory related to effects of dementia. An appropriate nursing intervention for him is to:
a. let him know what behavior is socially appropriate
b. assist him with self-care to manage self esteem
c. maintain familiar routine of sleep, meals, drug administration, and activities
d. promote orientation at every encounter with a patient by asking the day, time, and place -
Answer C. maintain familiar routine of sleep, meals, drug administration, and activities
(We will also use this same intervention in patients w/ ASD)
The nurse is reviewing the needs of a patient with cognitive impairment. What is the priority
concern the nurse should address?
A. Supervising medication administration
B. Managing the patient's pain from arthritis
C. Promoting at least 6 hours of sleep a night
D. Encouraging an oral intake of 1200 calories per day - Answer A
Safety is the priority concern for the cognitively impaired patient; safely taking medication
addresses safety needs for the patient. Sleep, nutrition, and management of pain are important
components of the patient's care and can affect overall health, but safety is the highest priority.
The primary objective of nursing intervention for clients with dementia, delirium, and other
cognitive disorders is to maintain what?
1. Safety within the environment
2. Psychological faculties
3. Participation in educational activities
4. Face-to-face contact with other clients - Answer 1. Safety within the environment
A 90-year-old patient is admitted to the hospital. Shortly after admission, the family notices that
the patient is exhibiting disorientation and agitation. When the family asks the nurse about the
behavior, the nurse states that the patient is at risk for developing which common complication
of hospitalization in older adults?
A. Alzheimer disease
B. Sundowner syndrome
,C. Delirium
D. Dementia - Answer C
Delirium, which occurs over hours to a few days, is the most frequent complication of
hospitalization in the elderly population. Dementia occurs over a period of months. Alzheimer
disease develops over months to years. Sundowner syndrome is most prominent in dementia
and becomes worse in the evenings.
The nurse is planning care for a school-aged child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) who has
been hospitalized for some tests. Which intervention should the nurse plan to implement?
1. Placing the child in a private room
2. Providing adequate stimulation through play
3. Encouraging staff to visit the child frequently
4. Giving detailed explanations about the upcoming tests - Answer 1. The child with ASD
should be placed in a private room. Decreasing stimulation by placing the child in a private room
may lessen the disruptiveness of hospitalization. Play should be carefully planned;
overstimulation can precipitate behavioral outbursts. Children with ASD need to be introduced
slowly to new situations, with visits from staff caregivers kept short whenever possible. Because
these children have difficulty organizing their behavior and redirecting their energy, they need
to be told directly what to do. Explanations about tests should be at the child's developmental
level, brief, and concrete.
A 62-year-old patient who is recovering from a urinary tract infection that has required
hospitalized for delirium. Based on research regarding possible post delirium complications,
what are important areas for the provider to assess regularly after discharge?
A. Sexual functioning
B. Sleeping habits
C. Symptoms of posttraumatic stress
D. Depression and level of cognition - Answer D
Although delirium is usually a short-term condition, it may have long-term consequences. In
patients with preexisting cognitive impairment, there is an acceleration of cognitive decline.
Although there are reports of long-term cognitive impairment (in the absence of preexisting
cognitive impairment) and functional decline following delirium, results of studies have been
inconsistent. An association also exists with depression after delirium. Although a holistic
examination would assess sleep, this is not the area that research has found to be problematic.
A holistic examination would include sexual functioning, but it is not the priority at this time.
Posttraumatic stress symptoms have been seen in younger patients who experienced delirium
while hospitalized.
A community health nurse is preparing a course on protecting cognitive function. Which
population group should the nurse target for teaching?
A. Adolescents attending summer camps
B. Older female adults who are overweight
, C. Older male adults with diabetes
D. Young adults living in school dormitories - Answer C
The primary risk factor for cognitive impairment is advancing age; males with a history of stroke
or diabetes are at significant risk. Older females with a history of poor health, insomnia, and
lack of social support are at risk for cognitive impairment, not those who are overweight. Risk
factors for young adults include substance abuse and high-risk behaviors, not crowded living
conditions. Adolescents who attend summer camp are not necessarily at risk for cognitive
problems; adolescents who participate in high-risk behaviors would be at risk.
The nurse is establishing a therapeutic environment for a patient admitted with dementia and
influenza. Which intervention would be important for the nurse to implement?
A. Provide a quiet environment in a private room.
B. Keep a radio on all the time to provide sound for the patient.
C. Decrease patient confusion by limiting verbal interactions.
D. Limit family visits to one person for 30 minutes per day. - Answer A
The patient experiencing dementia needs a quiet environment with a minimum of unfamiliar
stimulation from a roommate. A patient with dementia does not need extra stimulation from
having a radio on continually. The nurse should speak clearly and quietly to the patient before
any procedure or assistance to decrease agitation. Family visits would be encouraged because
family members are familiar to the patient and their presence increases a sense of security.
Which event would an older client diagnosed with early stage Alzheimer's disease have greatest
difficulty remembering?
A. His or her high school graduation
B. The story of a teenage escapade
C. What he or she ate for breakfast
D. The births of his or her children - Answer C. What he or she ate for breakfast
Initially, recent memory is impaired, and remote memory remains intact.
A client diagnosed with delirium strikes out at a staff member. The nurse can most correctly
hypothesize that this behavior is related to which characteristic symptom of delirium?
A. Fear
B. Anger
C. Unmet social interaction
D. Unmet physical need - Answer A
Clients with delirium often misinterpret reality, perceiving threat where none actually exists.
Delirious clients who are fearful may strike out at others, seemingly without provocation. Anger
may develop but it is triggered by fear. Neither of the remaining options are generally
associated with the behavior described.
Behavior Test Questions with Solved
Solutions Graded A+(2025-2026)
Updated.
The nurse administers the Confusion Assessment Method (CAM) tool to differentiate among
various cognitive disorders, primarily because:
A. delirium can be reversed by treating the underlying cause
B. depression in a common cause of dementia in older adults
C. nursing care should be based on the cause of cognitive impairments
D. drug therapy with antipsychotics is indicated in the treatment of dementia - Answer A.
delirium can be reversible
the CAM is used to diagnose delirium
Nurses working with clients who have a diagnosis of dementia should adopt a common
approach of care, because these clients have a need to do what?
1. Have sameness and consistency in their environment
2. Relate in a consistent manner to staff
3. Learn that the staff cannot be manipulated
4. Accept controls that are concrete and fairly applied - Answer 1. Have sameness and
consistency in their environment
An older patient is admitted to the hospital with a UTI and possible bacterial sepsis. The family
is concerned because the patient is confused and not able to carry on a conversation. Which
statement by the nurse is most appropriate?
a. "Depression is a common cause of confusion in older adults."
b. It is normal for an older person to have cognitive problems while in the hospital."
c. "The mental changes are most likely caused by the infection and most often reversible."
d. Drug therapy with antipsychotic agents is indicated to slow the progression of dementia." -
Answer c. "The mental changes are most likely caused by the infection and most often
reversible."
The nurse is sitting with the family of a patient who has just received the diagnosis of dementia.
The family asks for information on what treatment will be needed to cure the condition. What is
the nurse's best response.
a. "Hormone therapy will reverse the condition."
b. "Vitamin C and zinc will reverse the condition."
,c. "There is no treatment to reverse dementia."
d. "Dementia can be reversed with diet, exercise, ad medications." - Answer C.
Dementia is irreversible. Delirium is reversible.
A patient is admitted to a long-term care facility and has a nursing diagnosis of impaired
memory related to effects of dementia. An appropriate nursing intervention for him is to:
a. let him know what behavior is socially appropriate
b. assist him with self-care to manage self esteem
c. maintain familiar routine of sleep, meals, drug administration, and activities
d. promote orientation at every encounter with a patient by asking the day, time, and place -
Answer C. maintain familiar routine of sleep, meals, drug administration, and activities
(We will also use this same intervention in patients w/ ASD)
The nurse is reviewing the needs of a patient with cognitive impairment. What is the priority
concern the nurse should address?
A. Supervising medication administration
B. Managing the patient's pain from arthritis
C. Promoting at least 6 hours of sleep a night
D. Encouraging an oral intake of 1200 calories per day - Answer A
Safety is the priority concern for the cognitively impaired patient; safely taking medication
addresses safety needs for the patient. Sleep, nutrition, and management of pain are important
components of the patient's care and can affect overall health, but safety is the highest priority.
The primary objective of nursing intervention for clients with dementia, delirium, and other
cognitive disorders is to maintain what?
1. Safety within the environment
2. Psychological faculties
3. Participation in educational activities
4. Face-to-face contact with other clients - Answer 1. Safety within the environment
A 90-year-old patient is admitted to the hospital. Shortly after admission, the family notices that
the patient is exhibiting disorientation and agitation. When the family asks the nurse about the
behavior, the nurse states that the patient is at risk for developing which common complication
of hospitalization in older adults?
A. Alzheimer disease
B. Sundowner syndrome
,C. Delirium
D. Dementia - Answer C
Delirium, which occurs over hours to a few days, is the most frequent complication of
hospitalization in the elderly population. Dementia occurs over a period of months. Alzheimer
disease develops over months to years. Sundowner syndrome is most prominent in dementia
and becomes worse in the evenings.
The nurse is planning care for a school-aged child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) who has
been hospitalized for some tests. Which intervention should the nurse plan to implement?
1. Placing the child in a private room
2. Providing adequate stimulation through play
3. Encouraging staff to visit the child frequently
4. Giving detailed explanations about the upcoming tests - Answer 1. The child with ASD
should be placed in a private room. Decreasing stimulation by placing the child in a private room
may lessen the disruptiveness of hospitalization. Play should be carefully planned;
overstimulation can precipitate behavioral outbursts. Children with ASD need to be introduced
slowly to new situations, with visits from staff caregivers kept short whenever possible. Because
these children have difficulty organizing their behavior and redirecting their energy, they need
to be told directly what to do. Explanations about tests should be at the child's developmental
level, brief, and concrete.
A 62-year-old patient who is recovering from a urinary tract infection that has required
hospitalized for delirium. Based on research regarding possible post delirium complications,
what are important areas for the provider to assess regularly after discharge?
A. Sexual functioning
B. Sleeping habits
C. Symptoms of posttraumatic stress
D. Depression and level of cognition - Answer D
Although delirium is usually a short-term condition, it may have long-term consequences. In
patients with preexisting cognitive impairment, there is an acceleration of cognitive decline.
Although there are reports of long-term cognitive impairment (in the absence of preexisting
cognitive impairment) and functional decline following delirium, results of studies have been
inconsistent. An association also exists with depression after delirium. Although a holistic
examination would assess sleep, this is not the area that research has found to be problematic.
A holistic examination would include sexual functioning, but it is not the priority at this time.
Posttraumatic stress symptoms have been seen in younger patients who experienced delirium
while hospitalized.
A community health nurse is preparing a course on protecting cognitive function. Which
population group should the nurse target for teaching?
A. Adolescents attending summer camps
B. Older female adults who are overweight
, C. Older male adults with diabetes
D. Young adults living in school dormitories - Answer C
The primary risk factor for cognitive impairment is advancing age; males with a history of stroke
or diabetes are at significant risk. Older females with a history of poor health, insomnia, and
lack of social support are at risk for cognitive impairment, not those who are overweight. Risk
factors for young adults include substance abuse and high-risk behaviors, not crowded living
conditions. Adolescents who attend summer camp are not necessarily at risk for cognitive
problems; adolescents who participate in high-risk behaviors would be at risk.
The nurse is establishing a therapeutic environment for a patient admitted with dementia and
influenza. Which intervention would be important for the nurse to implement?
A. Provide a quiet environment in a private room.
B. Keep a radio on all the time to provide sound for the patient.
C. Decrease patient confusion by limiting verbal interactions.
D. Limit family visits to one person for 30 minutes per day. - Answer A
The patient experiencing dementia needs a quiet environment with a minimum of unfamiliar
stimulation from a roommate. A patient with dementia does not need extra stimulation from
having a radio on continually. The nurse should speak clearly and quietly to the patient before
any procedure or assistance to decrease agitation. Family visits would be encouraged because
family members are familiar to the patient and their presence increases a sense of security.
Which event would an older client diagnosed with early stage Alzheimer's disease have greatest
difficulty remembering?
A. His or her high school graduation
B. The story of a teenage escapade
C. What he or she ate for breakfast
D. The births of his or her children - Answer C. What he or she ate for breakfast
Initially, recent memory is impaired, and remote memory remains intact.
A client diagnosed with delirium strikes out at a staff member. The nurse can most correctly
hypothesize that this behavior is related to which characteristic symptom of delirium?
A. Fear
B. Anger
C. Unmet social interaction
D. Unmet physical need - Answer A
Clients with delirium often misinterpret reality, perceiving threat where none actually exists.
Delirious clients who are fearful may strike out at others, seemingly without provocation. Anger
may develop but it is triggered by fear. Neither of the remaining options are generally
associated with the behavior described.
