Gerontological Nursing
The nurse is performing an assessment on an older adult client. What assessment data would
indicate a potential complication associated with the skin of this client?- Crusting, Wrinkling, or
thinning/loss of elasticity of skin
Crusting- indicates a potential complication
The nurse who volunteers at a senior citizens' center is planning activities for the members.
What activity would best promote health and maintenance?
Walking 3-5 times per week for 30 minutes. Exercise and activity are essential for health
promotion and maintenance.
The home health nurse is visiting a client for the first time. While assessing the client's
medication, it is noted that there are 19 prescription and several over the counter medications
that the client is taking. What intervention should the nurse take first?
Determine whether there are medication duplications. Polypharamacy is a concern in the
geriatric population.
The nurse is working with older clients in a long term care facility. Which activities performed by
the nurse fosters reminiscence among these clients?
Having storytelling hours- clients who like to retell stories or past events need to be provided
time to do so. It is a way for the older adult to relive and restructure life experiences and is a
part of achieving ego identity.
,The home care nurse is performing an environmental assessment in the home of an older adult.
Which of the following requires immediate nursing action?
Unsecured scattered rugs, operable smoke detector, or prefilled medication cassette?
Unsecured scattered rugs- trauma to the older client in the home may be caused by a variety of
factors. These include unsteady gait, the presence of unsecured scatter rugs, clattered
passageways, and inoperable smoke detectors.
The nurse is teaching an older client about measures to prevent constipation. What statement
made by the client indicates further teaching is needed?
-"I'll walk 1-2 miles everyday"
-"I need to decrease fiber in my diet"
-"I have a bowel movement everyday"
-"I drink 6-8 glasses of water everyday"
"I need to decrease fiber in my diet" -Adequate dietary fiber is an important factor in aiding
bowel function. Dietary fiber increases fecal weight and water content and accelerates the
transit of fecal mass through the GI tract.
Define Ageism.
Ageism is a form of prejudice in which older adults are stereotyped by characteristics found in
only a few members of their group. Fundamental to ageism is the view that older persons are
different from "me" and will remain different from "me." Therefore, they are portrayed as not
experiencing the same desires, needs, and concerns.
The nurse is providing medication instructions to an older client who is taking digoxin (Lanoxin)
daily. What age related body changes could place the client at risk for digoxin toxicity?
Decreased lean body mass and decreased glomerular filtration rate.
The nurse employed in a long term care facility is caring for an older male client. What nursing
action contributes to encouraging autonomy in the client?
-Planning meals -Scheduling appts
, -Decorating his room -He chooses activities
Client choosing own activities. Autonomy is the personal freedom to direct one's own life as
long as it does not impinge on the rights of others. An autonomous person is capable of rational
thought.
The home care nurse is visiting an older female client whose husband died 6 months ago. What
behavior by the client indicates ineffective coping?
- Neglect personal grooming
-Looking at old pictures
-Participating in senior citizens' program
-Visiting her husband's grave
Neglecting personal grooming. Coping mechanisms are behaviors used to decrease anxiety and
stress. In response to death, ineffective coping is manifested by an extreme behavior that in
some cases may be harmful to the individual.
The nurse is providing instructions to a nursing assistant regarding care of an older client with
hearing loss. The nurse tells the assistant that clients with a hear loss:
Respond to low pitched tones. Prebycusis refers to the age related irreversible degenerative
changes of the inner eat that lead to decreased hearing ability. As a result of these changes, the
older client has a decreased response to high frequency sounds. Low pitched voice tones are
heard more easily and can be interpreted by the older client.
The nurse is providing an educational session to new employees, and the topic is abuse of the
older adult. The nurse helps the employees identify that which client is most typical of a victim
of abuse?
- 75 y.o man with moderate hypertension
- 68 y.o man with newly dx cataracts
- 90 y.o woman with advanced Parkinson's dz
-70 y.o woman with early dx Lyme dz
90 y.o woman with advanced Parkinson's dz. Elder abuse is widespread and occurs among all
subgroups of the population. Elder abuse includes physical and psychological abuse, misuse of
The nurse is performing an assessment on an older adult client. What assessment data would
indicate a potential complication associated with the skin of this client?- Crusting, Wrinkling, or
thinning/loss of elasticity of skin
Crusting- indicates a potential complication
The nurse who volunteers at a senior citizens' center is planning activities for the members.
What activity would best promote health and maintenance?
Walking 3-5 times per week for 30 minutes. Exercise and activity are essential for health
promotion and maintenance.
The home health nurse is visiting a client for the first time. While assessing the client's
medication, it is noted that there are 19 prescription and several over the counter medications
that the client is taking. What intervention should the nurse take first?
Determine whether there are medication duplications. Polypharamacy is a concern in the
geriatric population.
The nurse is working with older clients in a long term care facility. Which activities performed by
the nurse fosters reminiscence among these clients?
Having storytelling hours- clients who like to retell stories or past events need to be provided
time to do so. It is a way for the older adult to relive and restructure life experiences and is a
part of achieving ego identity.
,The home care nurse is performing an environmental assessment in the home of an older adult.
Which of the following requires immediate nursing action?
Unsecured scattered rugs, operable smoke detector, or prefilled medication cassette?
Unsecured scattered rugs- trauma to the older client in the home may be caused by a variety of
factors. These include unsteady gait, the presence of unsecured scatter rugs, clattered
passageways, and inoperable smoke detectors.
The nurse is teaching an older client about measures to prevent constipation. What statement
made by the client indicates further teaching is needed?
-"I'll walk 1-2 miles everyday"
-"I need to decrease fiber in my diet"
-"I have a bowel movement everyday"
-"I drink 6-8 glasses of water everyday"
"I need to decrease fiber in my diet" -Adequate dietary fiber is an important factor in aiding
bowel function. Dietary fiber increases fecal weight and water content and accelerates the
transit of fecal mass through the GI tract.
Define Ageism.
Ageism is a form of prejudice in which older adults are stereotyped by characteristics found in
only a few members of their group. Fundamental to ageism is the view that older persons are
different from "me" and will remain different from "me." Therefore, they are portrayed as not
experiencing the same desires, needs, and concerns.
The nurse is providing medication instructions to an older client who is taking digoxin (Lanoxin)
daily. What age related body changes could place the client at risk for digoxin toxicity?
Decreased lean body mass and decreased glomerular filtration rate.
The nurse employed in a long term care facility is caring for an older male client. What nursing
action contributes to encouraging autonomy in the client?
-Planning meals -Scheduling appts
, -Decorating his room -He chooses activities
Client choosing own activities. Autonomy is the personal freedom to direct one's own life as
long as it does not impinge on the rights of others. An autonomous person is capable of rational
thought.
The home care nurse is visiting an older female client whose husband died 6 months ago. What
behavior by the client indicates ineffective coping?
- Neglect personal grooming
-Looking at old pictures
-Participating in senior citizens' program
-Visiting her husband's grave
Neglecting personal grooming. Coping mechanisms are behaviors used to decrease anxiety and
stress. In response to death, ineffective coping is manifested by an extreme behavior that in
some cases may be harmful to the individual.
The nurse is providing instructions to a nursing assistant regarding care of an older client with
hearing loss. The nurse tells the assistant that clients with a hear loss:
Respond to low pitched tones. Prebycusis refers to the age related irreversible degenerative
changes of the inner eat that lead to decreased hearing ability. As a result of these changes, the
older client has a decreased response to high frequency sounds. Low pitched voice tones are
heard more easily and can be interpreted by the older client.
The nurse is providing an educational session to new employees, and the topic is abuse of the
older adult. The nurse helps the employees identify that which client is most typical of a victim
of abuse?
- 75 y.o man with moderate hypertension
- 68 y.o man with newly dx cataracts
- 90 y.o woman with advanced Parkinson's dz
-70 y.o woman with early dx Lyme dz
90 y.o woman with advanced Parkinson's dz. Elder abuse is widespread and occurs among all
subgroups of the population. Elder abuse includes physical and psychological abuse, misuse of
