NU272 HESI Case Study: Parkinson
Disease questions and answers 2025\2026
A+ Grade
Meet the client
- correct answer A client diagnosed with Parkinson's disease 4 years ago. He has been married and has 2
grown children who live out of state, and one who lives close by. Until recently, the client and his wife
had been active in the community. They attended church, played bridge, and enjoyed being with each
other. The client had been able to care for himself independently since his diagnosis, but he is now
requiring more assistance with activities of daily living and does not want to participate in any usual
activities.
Medications
- correct answer The client was prescribed the antiparkinsonian medication carbidopa-levodopa shortly
after being diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. Before starting the medication, the nurse in the
healthcare provider's office explained the action of carbidopa-levodopa as part of medication teaching.
Which statement explains the mechanism of action of carbidopa-levodopa in the treatment of
Parkinson's disease?
- correct answer Carbidopa-levodopa is converted to dopamine and provides an exogenous form of
dopamine replacement.
- Carbidopa-levodopa, a combination of levodopa and carbidopa, provides an exogenous source of
dopamine to the CNS. Levodopa crosses the blood-brain barrier and is converted to dopamine.
Carbidopa-levodopa does not cross the blood-brain barrier. Its role is to prevent the breakdown of
levodopa in the periphery, allowing more levodopa to cross the blood-brain barrier. This in turn allows
lower doses of levodopa to be used and reduces the risk of side effects such as nausea and vomiting.
The client's spouse calls the healthcare provider's office and reports to the nurse that the client has
started seeing and talking to people that have been dead for many years. In addition, he has developed
jerky movements of his head and has begun smacking his lips.
- correct answer -
, How should the nurse respond?
- correct answer Instruct the client's spouse to bring the client to the healthcare provider's office now.
- Uncontrolled movement of face, eyelids, mouth, tongue, arms, hands, or legs (tardive dyskinesia)
mental changes, such as hallucinations or delusions are adverse effects of long-term levodopa therapy.
Therefore, the client needs to be assessed by the healthcare provider.
The client's wife brings the client to the healthcare provider's office. After assessing the client, the
healthcare provider informs the wife that the client is going to get progressively worse. The wife starts
crying and tells the healthcare provider she just can't keep caring for the client by herself. The
healthcare provider writes a referral for home health care.
Previous Section
- correct answer -
Home Health Nurse Visit
- correct answer During the initial visit with the home health nurse, the wife expresses frustration,
stating that it is getting harder for her to understand what the client is saying, although he can still
communicate if she gives him enough time. In addition, the nurse observes that the client has a shuffling
gait and has difficulty getting out of the chair.
In planning care, which nursing diagnosis is the priority?
- correct answer Impaired physical mobility related to muscle rigidity and motor weakness.
- Impaired physical mobility is a priority since it impacts every aspect of the client's ability to function
safely, and it places him at risk for numerous complications of immobility.
The client tells the nurse that he is starting to have difficulty eating and chokes when swallowing food.
- correct answer -
How should the nurse respond?
- correct answer Encourage the wife to provide a soft diet with mainly thick liquids.
- Swallowing disorders can be due to poor head control, tongue tremor, or difficulty shaping food in the
mouth. A soft diet with thickened liquids is easier to swallow.
Because the client walks with a shuffling gait and tends to lean forward when walking, the home health
nurse discusses the client's continued weakness, mobility concerns, and safety issues with the wife.
- correct answer -
Disease questions and answers 2025\2026
A+ Grade
Meet the client
- correct answer A client diagnosed with Parkinson's disease 4 years ago. He has been married and has 2
grown children who live out of state, and one who lives close by. Until recently, the client and his wife
had been active in the community. They attended church, played bridge, and enjoyed being with each
other. The client had been able to care for himself independently since his diagnosis, but he is now
requiring more assistance with activities of daily living and does not want to participate in any usual
activities.
Medications
- correct answer The client was prescribed the antiparkinsonian medication carbidopa-levodopa shortly
after being diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. Before starting the medication, the nurse in the
healthcare provider's office explained the action of carbidopa-levodopa as part of medication teaching.
Which statement explains the mechanism of action of carbidopa-levodopa in the treatment of
Parkinson's disease?
- correct answer Carbidopa-levodopa is converted to dopamine and provides an exogenous form of
dopamine replacement.
- Carbidopa-levodopa, a combination of levodopa and carbidopa, provides an exogenous source of
dopamine to the CNS. Levodopa crosses the blood-brain barrier and is converted to dopamine.
Carbidopa-levodopa does not cross the blood-brain barrier. Its role is to prevent the breakdown of
levodopa in the periphery, allowing more levodopa to cross the blood-brain barrier. This in turn allows
lower doses of levodopa to be used and reduces the risk of side effects such as nausea and vomiting.
The client's spouse calls the healthcare provider's office and reports to the nurse that the client has
started seeing and talking to people that have been dead for many years. In addition, he has developed
jerky movements of his head and has begun smacking his lips.
- correct answer -
, How should the nurse respond?
- correct answer Instruct the client's spouse to bring the client to the healthcare provider's office now.
- Uncontrolled movement of face, eyelids, mouth, tongue, arms, hands, or legs (tardive dyskinesia)
mental changes, such as hallucinations or delusions are adverse effects of long-term levodopa therapy.
Therefore, the client needs to be assessed by the healthcare provider.
The client's wife brings the client to the healthcare provider's office. After assessing the client, the
healthcare provider informs the wife that the client is going to get progressively worse. The wife starts
crying and tells the healthcare provider she just can't keep caring for the client by herself. The
healthcare provider writes a referral for home health care.
Previous Section
- correct answer -
Home Health Nurse Visit
- correct answer During the initial visit with the home health nurse, the wife expresses frustration,
stating that it is getting harder for her to understand what the client is saying, although he can still
communicate if she gives him enough time. In addition, the nurse observes that the client has a shuffling
gait and has difficulty getting out of the chair.
In planning care, which nursing diagnosis is the priority?
- correct answer Impaired physical mobility related to muscle rigidity and motor weakness.
- Impaired physical mobility is a priority since it impacts every aspect of the client's ability to function
safely, and it places him at risk for numerous complications of immobility.
The client tells the nurse that he is starting to have difficulty eating and chokes when swallowing food.
- correct answer -
How should the nurse respond?
- correct answer Encourage the wife to provide a soft diet with mainly thick liquids.
- Swallowing disorders can be due to poor head control, tongue tremor, or difficulty shaping food in the
mouth. A soft diet with thickened liquids is easier to swallow.
Because the client walks with a shuffling gait and tends to lean forward when walking, the home health
nurse discusses the client's continued weakness, mobility concerns, and safety issues with the wife.
- correct answer -
