An older adult patient has recently experienced some difficulty ...

[humphriesbr@me.com]

An older adult patient has recently experienced some difficulty sustaining an erection as a result of medication he has been prescribed. The nurse best assesses the patient's perception of his own sexuality by asking
 
  a. How are you and your wife coping with your sexual dysfunction?
  b. What problems has your sexual dysfunc-tion caused between you and your wife?
  c. What impact has this dysfunction had on your ability to be intimate with your wife?
  d. Are you and your wife prepared to deal with this dysfunction over the long term?

Question 2

An adult child of an older adult confides in the nurse that the patient has lost most of her friends because of her negative behavior. What action by the nurse is best?
 
  a. Ask when the patient had her last physical exam.
  b. Encourage the patient to be more positive.
  c. Ask if the patient is aware of the problem.
  d. Suggest the patient take antidepressants.

[mcinincha279]

Answer to Question 1

C
Asking about the impact of the dysfunction directly assesses the patient's satisfaction or dissa-tisfaction with current circumstances related to sexual function and intimacy, thus providing the best evaluation of his self-perception of the issue.

Answer to Question 2

A
Depressed or negative older adults have trouble maintaining relationships. If this is a change in status, the nurse should determine if the patient needs a checkup to look for underlying illness. The other answers do not provide action that could possibly alleviate the situation. Giving the patient medications without a full workup is dangerous.

[humphriesbr@me.com]

Thank you

[mcinincha279]

Happy to help you