An older adult is brought to the emergency department by a family ...

[tatyanajohnson]

An older adult is brought to the emergency department by a family member, who reports a moderate change in mental status and mild cough. The client is afebrile. The health care provider orders a chest x-ray.
 
  The family member questions why this is needed since the manifestations seem so vague. What response by the nurse is best?
  a.
  Chest x-rays are always ordered when we suspect pneumonia.
  b.
  Older people often have vague symptoms, so an x-ray is essential.
  c.
  The x-ray can be done and read before laboratory work is reported.
  d.
  We are testing for any possible source of infection in the client.

Question 2

The charge nurse on a medical unit is preparing to admit several clients who have possible pandemic flu during a preparedness drill. What action by the nurse is best?
 
  a. Admit the clients on Contact Precautions.
  b. Cohort the clients in the same area of the unit.
  c. Do not allow pregnant caregivers to care for these clients.
  d. Place the clients on enhanced Droplet Precautions.

[cascooper22]

Answer to Question 1

ANS: B
It is essential to obtain an early chest x-ray in older adults suspected of having pneumonia because symptoms are often vague. Waiting until definitive manifestations are present to obtain the x-ray leads to a costly delay in treatment. Stating that chest x-rays are always ordered does not give the family definitive information. The x-ray can be done while laboratory values are still pending, but this also does not provide specific information about the importance of a chest x-ray in this client. The client has manifestations of pneumonia, so the staff is not testing for any possible source of infection but rather is testing for a suspected disorder.

Answer to Question 2

ANS: B
Preventing the spread of pandemic flu is equally important as caring for the clients who have it. Clients can be cohorted together in the same set of rooms on one part of the unit to use distancing to help prevent the spread of the disease. The other actions are not appropriate.