Author Question: The older adult has osteoarthritis in the cervical spine and wants to receive injections of ... (Read 74 times)

bclement10 · **on:** Jul 11, 2018

The older adult has osteoarthritis in the cervical spine and wants to receive injections of corticosteroids into the back for pain relief.

To prevent complications of the therapy, which of the following should the nurse instruct the patient to avoid? a. Ambulation
b. Hypocalcemia
c. Supine position
d. Pain medication

Question 2

The nurse plans the care of an older female resident of a nursing home who has experienced a sudden deterioration in visual acuity. Which intervention should the nurse complete first?

a. Prevent behavioral and social decline.
b. Tell her to hold onto the rails during am-bulation.
c. Examine her mood and functional status.
d. Use problem solving involving the resi-dent.

taylorsonier · **Reply #1 on:** Jul 11, 2018

Answer to Question 1

B

Feedback
A Incorrect. Ambulation is an indicated form of exercise for older adults with back pain.
B Correct. This therapy involves large doses of corticosteroids; so, the nurse in-structs the patient to maintain an adequate calcium intake because bone loss is an adverse effect of corticosteroid medication. Developing osteoporosis has the potential to devastate the spine of this individual, contribute to compression fractures, and aggravate back pain that is already significant.
C Incorrect. Supine positioning is indicated for older adults with back pain if this position provides relief.
D Incorrect. Older adults who have back pain treated with corticosteroid therapy usually need to supplement this treatment with analgesia and muscle relaxants.

Answer to Question 2

C
The most important intervention for the nurse to complete first is to assess the impact of the vis-ual impairment on the resident's quality of life, mood, and functional ability. The resulting as-sessment data will provide the basis for solving new problems caused by the loss of vision and finding compensatory mechanisms for the resident. Preventing decline can be a goal in the overall plan of care for this resident, but that cannot be determined until the assessment is complete. Telling her to hold onto rails during ambulation is a potential nursing intervention for patient teaching; however, in problem solving, a different compensatory solution can be developed, based on the assessment. Problem solving takes place after a complete assessment.