Gerontology HESI Practice Exam Questions With
100% Verified Solutions
The home health registered nurse (RN) is visiting an older client
with chronic hypertension. What evaluation is most important for
the RN to complete with each visit?
A. Effectiveness of medication
B. Ability to ambulate
C. Signs of dehydration
D. Familial support - ANSWER A. Effectiveness of medication
Rationale: The highest priority in the care of an older client with
chronic hypertension is evaluation of the effectiveness of blood
pressure medication (A) and the client's compliance in order to
prevent complications related to chronic disease.
An older male client with heart failure (HF) complains of chronic
constipation and wants to retrain his bowel. Which information
should the registered nurse (RN) offer the client for establishing
regular bowel habits? - ANSWER (A) Add whole grain foods and
fibrous vegetables to diet.
Rationale: Increasing daily fiber (A) with increasing fluid intake are
the best tools to use when retraining bowel habits.
The registered nurse (RN) is observing the skin of an older client.
Which finding should the RN document as consistent with the
normal aging process? A. Decreased elasticity
B. Tough and leathery texture
C. Shiny and edematous
,D. Excessive hair growth on the head - ANSWER (A) Decreased
elasticity
Rationale: Loss of elasticity is a common finding of the normal
aging process (A). The skin of elderly clients becomes thin and
fragile with aging, not
The home health registered nurse (RN) visits an older female
client with an ideal conduit who has been experiencing chronic
urinary tract infections (UTI). Which intervention should the RN
recommend to the client to manage the frequency of UTIs? -
ANSWER (C) Attach a larger drainage bag while sleeping
Rationale: (C) can prevent urinary reflux if the bag fills to near
capacity or greater, which can contribute to UTIs. Forcing fluids is
encouraged and should exceed urinary output, which commonly
should be greater than 1,000 ml
The healthcare provider prescribes a new medication,
atorvastatin (Lipitor), for an older client who arrives at the clinic for
an annual physical examination. What common side effect should
the registered nurse (RN) advise the client to observe with this
medication? - ANSWER (B) Headaches
Rationale: Headaches (B) are the most common side effect with
this medication, which the RN should direct the client to report.
After a transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP), an older
man returns to the medical surgical floor with a 3-way indwelling
urinary catheter. The registered nurse (RN) observes the
catheter's tubing for drainage when the client states that he needs
to void. What should the RN implement based on this finding? -
ANSWER (A) Irrigate the bladder through the catheter port
, Rationale: The feeling of urgency can be caused by blood clots
that can occlude drainage of the catheter, which is a common
occurrence in the first 72 hours after a TURP. The urgency is an
indication that the client's bladder is not emptying, and the RN
should irrigate catheter (A) to relieve symptoms caused by a clot.
An older client with chronic kidney disease (CKD) has an
arteriovenous fistula (AV) in the left forearm for for hemodialysis.
After palpating the AV fistula, which finding is an indication that
the AV fistula is functioning properly?
A. Enlarged veins
B. Redness around the site
C. Decreased pulses below fistula
D. Marked ecchymotic areas - ANSWER (A) Enlarged veins
Rationale: The mixing of arterial and venous blood in an AV fistula
causes the veins to enlarge (A), which facilitate cancelation for
hemodialysis.
During the quarterly evaluations of the clients in the assisted
living community, the registered nurse (RN) assesses for findings
of failure to thrive in the older population. What findings should
the RN document and report as manifestations related to failure to
thrive? (Select all that apply.) - ANSWER Unintentional weight
loss
Increased weakness
Increased amounts of sleep
Rationale: Symptoms of failure to thrive in the older population
include weight loss, weakness and excessive sleep, which should
be documented and evaluated by a healthcare provider
immediately.
100% Verified Solutions
The home health registered nurse (RN) is visiting an older client
with chronic hypertension. What evaluation is most important for
the RN to complete with each visit?
A. Effectiveness of medication
B. Ability to ambulate
C. Signs of dehydration
D. Familial support - ANSWER A. Effectiveness of medication
Rationale: The highest priority in the care of an older client with
chronic hypertension is evaluation of the effectiveness of blood
pressure medication (A) and the client's compliance in order to
prevent complications related to chronic disease.
An older male client with heart failure (HF) complains of chronic
constipation and wants to retrain his bowel. Which information
should the registered nurse (RN) offer the client for establishing
regular bowel habits? - ANSWER (A) Add whole grain foods and
fibrous vegetables to diet.
Rationale: Increasing daily fiber (A) with increasing fluid intake are
the best tools to use when retraining bowel habits.
The registered nurse (RN) is observing the skin of an older client.
Which finding should the RN document as consistent with the
normal aging process? A. Decreased elasticity
B. Tough and leathery texture
C. Shiny and edematous
,D. Excessive hair growth on the head - ANSWER (A) Decreased
elasticity
Rationale: Loss of elasticity is a common finding of the normal
aging process (A). The skin of elderly clients becomes thin and
fragile with aging, not
The home health registered nurse (RN) visits an older female
client with an ideal conduit who has been experiencing chronic
urinary tract infections (UTI). Which intervention should the RN
recommend to the client to manage the frequency of UTIs? -
ANSWER (C) Attach a larger drainage bag while sleeping
Rationale: (C) can prevent urinary reflux if the bag fills to near
capacity or greater, which can contribute to UTIs. Forcing fluids is
encouraged and should exceed urinary output, which commonly
should be greater than 1,000 ml
The healthcare provider prescribes a new medication,
atorvastatin (Lipitor), for an older client who arrives at the clinic for
an annual physical examination. What common side effect should
the registered nurse (RN) advise the client to observe with this
medication? - ANSWER (B) Headaches
Rationale: Headaches (B) are the most common side effect with
this medication, which the RN should direct the client to report.
After a transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP), an older
man returns to the medical surgical floor with a 3-way indwelling
urinary catheter. The registered nurse (RN) observes the
catheter's tubing for drainage when the client states that he needs
to void. What should the RN implement based on this finding? -
ANSWER (A) Irrigate the bladder through the catheter port
, Rationale: The feeling of urgency can be caused by blood clots
that can occlude drainage of the catheter, which is a common
occurrence in the first 72 hours after a TURP. The urgency is an
indication that the client's bladder is not emptying, and the RN
should irrigate catheter (A) to relieve symptoms caused by a clot.
An older client with chronic kidney disease (CKD) has an
arteriovenous fistula (AV) in the left forearm for for hemodialysis.
After palpating the AV fistula, which finding is an indication that
the AV fistula is functioning properly?
A. Enlarged veins
B. Redness around the site
C. Decreased pulses below fistula
D. Marked ecchymotic areas - ANSWER (A) Enlarged veins
Rationale: The mixing of arterial and venous blood in an AV fistula
causes the veins to enlarge (A), which facilitate cancelation for
hemodialysis.
During the quarterly evaluations of the clients in the assisted
living community, the registered nurse (RN) assesses for findings
of failure to thrive in the older population. What findings should
the RN document and report as manifestations related to failure to
thrive? (Select all that apply.) - ANSWER Unintentional weight
loss
Increased weakness
Increased amounts of sleep
Rationale: Symptoms of failure to thrive in the older population
include weight loss, weakness and excessive sleep, which should
be documented and evaluated by a healthcare provider
immediately.
