Care of Older Adults - NCLEX
Questions 2026 Exam All
Answers and Illustrations
Given
The nurse is managing an epidural catheter for a patient diagnosed with
cancer. The patient has developed a spinal headache. Which
intervention should be completed at this time?
A) Increase the dosage of anesthetic.
B) Place in semi-Fowler position.
,C) Continue to monitor the patient.
D) Initiate administration of prescribed fluids. - ANSWER ✔✔Answer
D. If a headache develops, the patient should remain flat in bed and
should be given large amounts of fluids (provided the medical condition
allows), and the health care provider should be notified. It is not
appropriate to continue to monitor the patient without notifying the health
care provider in this situation.
The nurse is caring for an 80-year-old patient following right hip surgery.
When administering pain medication to this patient, what is important for
the nurse to remember?
A) Elderly patients have a faster metabolism than their younger
counterparts.
B) Elderly patients have an increased risk for drug toxicity.
C) Elderly patients have a lower incidence of chronic illness.
D) Elderly patients infrequently use OTC medications. - ANSWER
✔✔Answer B. Elderly patients have a sensitivity to medications and an
increased risk for drug toxicity. They have slowed metabolism of
,medications, a higher incidence of chronic illness, and an increased use
of prescription and OTC medications.
A patient has a pancreatic tumor and history of alcoholism. The patient
receives morphine 2 mg subcutaneously every 3 to 4 hours for treatment
of pain associated with the tumor. After 2 days of receiving this dose
every 4 hours, the patient tells the nurse that the medication is needed
more frequently to control the pain. What is the nurse's best response to
this situation?
A) The patient is becoming addicted to the morphine, and the medication
should be administered less frequently than every 4 hours.
B) A tolerance to the morphine is developing, and the patient should
receive the drug every 3 hours.
C) Administering the morphine every 3 hours will increase the patient's
physical dependence on the drug.
D) Physical dependence should be avoided at all costs, and the drug
should continue to be administered every 4 hours. - ANSWER
✔✔Answer B. Tolerance occurs when a person who has been taking
opioids becomes less sensitive to their analgesic properties (and usually
COPYRIGHT©NINJANERD 2025/2026. YEAR PUBLISHED 2026. COMPANY REGISTRATION NUMBER: 619652435. TERMS OF USE. PRIVACY
STATEMENT. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
3
, side effects). Tolerance is characterized by the need for increasing
doses to maintain the same level of pain relief.
A patient who had abdominal surgery 5 days ago complains of sharp,
throbbing abdominal pain that ranks 8 on a scale of 0 (no pain) to 10
(worst pain). The patient's pain rating has averaged at a 3/10 for the first
5 days postoperatively on epidural administration of hydromorphone.
However, narcotic administration via epidural catheter was discontinued
earlier this morning. Which of the following would be the nurse's first
action?
A) Obtain an order to restart the epidural narcotic administration.
B) Assess the patient to rule out possible complications secondary to
surgery.
C) Check the patient's chart to determine what additional pain
medications can be administered.
D) Explain to the patient that his pain should not be this severe 5 days
postoperatively. - ANSWER ✔✔Answer B. Usually of recent onset
and commonly associated with a specific injury, acute pain indicates that
damage or injury has occurred. Any change in the patient's condition
requires an assessment by the nurse.
Questions 2026 Exam All
Answers and Illustrations
Given
The nurse is managing an epidural catheter for a patient diagnosed with
cancer. The patient has developed a spinal headache. Which
intervention should be completed at this time?
A) Increase the dosage of anesthetic.
B) Place in semi-Fowler position.
,C) Continue to monitor the patient.
D) Initiate administration of prescribed fluids. - ANSWER ✔✔Answer
D. If a headache develops, the patient should remain flat in bed and
should be given large amounts of fluids (provided the medical condition
allows), and the health care provider should be notified. It is not
appropriate to continue to monitor the patient without notifying the health
care provider in this situation.
The nurse is caring for an 80-year-old patient following right hip surgery.
When administering pain medication to this patient, what is important for
the nurse to remember?
A) Elderly patients have a faster metabolism than their younger
counterparts.
B) Elderly patients have an increased risk for drug toxicity.
C) Elderly patients have a lower incidence of chronic illness.
D) Elderly patients infrequently use OTC medications. - ANSWER
✔✔Answer B. Elderly patients have a sensitivity to medications and an
increased risk for drug toxicity. They have slowed metabolism of
,medications, a higher incidence of chronic illness, and an increased use
of prescription and OTC medications.
A patient has a pancreatic tumor and history of alcoholism. The patient
receives morphine 2 mg subcutaneously every 3 to 4 hours for treatment
of pain associated with the tumor. After 2 days of receiving this dose
every 4 hours, the patient tells the nurse that the medication is needed
more frequently to control the pain. What is the nurse's best response to
this situation?
A) The patient is becoming addicted to the morphine, and the medication
should be administered less frequently than every 4 hours.
B) A tolerance to the morphine is developing, and the patient should
receive the drug every 3 hours.
C) Administering the morphine every 3 hours will increase the patient's
physical dependence on the drug.
D) Physical dependence should be avoided at all costs, and the drug
should continue to be administered every 4 hours. - ANSWER
✔✔Answer B. Tolerance occurs when a person who has been taking
opioids becomes less sensitive to their analgesic properties (and usually
COPYRIGHT©NINJANERD 2025/2026. YEAR PUBLISHED 2026. COMPANY REGISTRATION NUMBER: 619652435. TERMS OF USE. PRIVACY
STATEMENT. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
3
, side effects). Tolerance is characterized by the need for increasing
doses to maintain the same level of pain relief.
A patient who had abdominal surgery 5 days ago complains of sharp,
throbbing abdominal pain that ranks 8 on a scale of 0 (no pain) to 10
(worst pain). The patient's pain rating has averaged at a 3/10 for the first
5 days postoperatively on epidural administration of hydromorphone.
However, narcotic administration via epidural catheter was discontinued
earlier this morning. Which of the following would be the nurse's first
action?
A) Obtain an order to restart the epidural narcotic administration.
B) Assess the patient to rule out possible complications secondary to
surgery.
C) Check the patient's chart to determine what additional pain
medications can be administered.
D) Explain to the patient that his pain should not be this severe 5 days
postoperatively. - ANSWER ✔✔Answer B. Usually of recent onset
and commonly associated with a specific injury, acute pain indicates that
damage or injury has occurred. Any change in the patient's condition
requires an assessment by the nurse.
