NUR255 Exam 3 V3 | NUR 255 Aging &
Mental Health Nursing Exam Q&A | Galen
College of Nursing
────────────────────────────────────
This comprehensive exam-style resource is designed to prepare students for aging and mental
health nursing assessments focused on complex geriatric conditions, psychosocial nursing
interventions, and advanced elderly care management. The material emphasizes safe nursing
interventions and holistic patient-centered care practices.
The questions are structured to closely mirror actual course exams while reinforcing analytical
reasoning, geriatric prioritization, and nursing decision-making skills. Detailed expert
explanations support deeper understanding and successful exam performance.
════════════════════════════════════
The Exam Covers:
• Functional decline in older adults
• Polypharmacy and medication safety
• Long-term care nursing interventions
• End-of-life communication strategies
• Family caregiver stress management
• Fall prevention and mobility support
• Elderly behavioral health concerns
• Rehabilitation concepts in geriatric care
════════════════════════════════════
1. An older adult is being assessed using the Katz Index of Independence. Which activity
would the nurse evaluate as a basic Activity of Daily Living (ADL)?
A. Managing monthly utility bills
B. Transferring from a bed to a chair
C. Shopping for groceries independently
,D. Preparing a nutritional meal
Correct Answer: B
Expert Explanation: The Katz Index focuses on basic self-care tasks including bathing,
dressing, and transferring. Activities like managing bills or shopping are categorized as
Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADLs). Understanding this distinction helps the
nurse plan appropriate levels of care for the elderly patient.
2. Which physiological change in the older adult significantly increases the risk for drug
toxicity due to polypharmacy?
A. Increased total body water
B. Reduced glomerular filtration rate
C. Decreased body fat percentage
D. Increased gastric acid production
Correct Answer: B
Expert Explanation: As people age, kidney function often declines, leading to a reduced
glomerular filtration rate and slower excretion of drugs. This reduction causes medications
to remain in the system longer, increasing the potential for toxic buildup. Nurses must
monitor renal labs like BUN and creatinine closely in older patients.
3. A nurse is designing a fall prevention program for a long-term care facility. What is the
most effective environmental intervention to reduce fall risks?
A. Ensuring hallways are free of clutter
, B. Keeping the bed in the highest position
C. Installing dim lighting to reduce glare
D. Placing throw rugs in high-traffic areas
Correct Answer: A
Expert Explanation: Removing environmental hazards like clutter and rugs is a primary
strategy for preventing falls in the elderly. Proper lighting is also essential, but it should be
bright enough to ensure visibility without causing glare. Maintaining the bed in the lowest
position is a standard safety protocol to prevent injury.
4. An older patient presents with sudden confusion, agitation, and a fluctuating level of
consciousness. Which condition should the nurse suspect first?
A. Alzheimer’s disease
B. Clinical depression
C. Delirium
D. Vascular dementia
Correct Answer: C
Expert Explanation: Delirium is characterized by an acute onset, fluctuating course, and
disturbances in consciousness or cognition. Unlike dementia, which is progressive and
chronic, delirium is often reversible if the underlying cause is treated. The nurse must
Mental Health Nursing Exam Q&A | Galen
College of Nursing
────────────────────────────────────
This comprehensive exam-style resource is designed to prepare students for aging and mental
health nursing assessments focused on complex geriatric conditions, psychosocial nursing
interventions, and advanced elderly care management. The material emphasizes safe nursing
interventions and holistic patient-centered care practices.
The questions are structured to closely mirror actual course exams while reinforcing analytical
reasoning, geriatric prioritization, and nursing decision-making skills. Detailed expert
explanations support deeper understanding and successful exam performance.
════════════════════════════════════
The Exam Covers:
• Functional decline in older adults
• Polypharmacy and medication safety
• Long-term care nursing interventions
• End-of-life communication strategies
• Family caregiver stress management
• Fall prevention and mobility support
• Elderly behavioral health concerns
• Rehabilitation concepts in geriatric care
════════════════════════════════════
1. An older adult is being assessed using the Katz Index of Independence. Which activity
would the nurse evaluate as a basic Activity of Daily Living (ADL)?
A. Managing monthly utility bills
B. Transferring from a bed to a chair
C. Shopping for groceries independently
,D. Preparing a nutritional meal
Correct Answer: B
Expert Explanation: The Katz Index focuses on basic self-care tasks including bathing,
dressing, and transferring. Activities like managing bills or shopping are categorized as
Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADLs). Understanding this distinction helps the
nurse plan appropriate levels of care for the elderly patient.
2. Which physiological change in the older adult significantly increases the risk for drug
toxicity due to polypharmacy?
A. Increased total body water
B. Reduced glomerular filtration rate
C. Decreased body fat percentage
D. Increased gastric acid production
Correct Answer: B
Expert Explanation: As people age, kidney function often declines, leading to a reduced
glomerular filtration rate and slower excretion of drugs. This reduction causes medications
to remain in the system longer, increasing the potential for toxic buildup. Nurses must
monitor renal labs like BUN and creatinine closely in older patients.
3. A nurse is designing a fall prevention program for a long-term care facility. What is the
most effective environmental intervention to reduce fall risks?
A. Ensuring hallways are free of clutter
, B. Keeping the bed in the highest position
C. Installing dim lighting to reduce glare
D. Placing throw rugs in high-traffic areas
Correct Answer: A
Expert Explanation: Removing environmental hazards like clutter and rugs is a primary
strategy for preventing falls in the elderly. Proper lighting is also essential, but it should be
bright enough to ensure visibility without causing glare. Maintaining the bed in the lowest
position is a standard safety protocol to prevent injury.
4. An older patient presents with sudden confusion, agitation, and a fluctuating level of
consciousness. Which condition should the nurse suspect first?
A. Alzheimer’s disease
B. Clinical depression
C. Delirium
D. Vascular dementia
Correct Answer: C
Expert Explanation: Delirium is characterized by an acute onset, fluctuating course, and
disturbances in consciousness or cognition. Unlike dementia, which is progressive and
chronic, delirium is often reversible if the underlying cause is treated. The nurse must
