An 85-year-old has difficulty walking after a knee replacement. ...

[jlmhmf]

An 85-year-old has difficulty walking after a knee replacement. The patient tells the nurse, It's awful to be old. Every day is a struggle. No one cares about old people. Select the nurse's best response.
 
  a. Everyone here cares about old people. That's why we work here.
  b. It sounds like you're having a difficult time. Tell me about it.
  c. Let's not focus on the negative. Tell me something good.
  d. You are still able to get around, and your mind is alert.

Question 2

A nurse assesses four patients between the ages of 70 and 80. Which patient has the highest risk for alcohol abuse? The patient who:
 
  a. consumes 1 glass of wine nightly with dinner.
  b. began drinking alcohol daily after retirement and says, A few drinks keep my mind off my arthritis.
  c. drank socially throughout adult life and continues this pattern, saying I've earned the right to do as I please.
  d. abused alcohol between the ages of 25 and 40 but now abstains and occasionally attends Alcoholics Anonymous (AA).

[juicepod]

Answer to Question 1

ANS: B
The nurse uses empathetic understanding to permit the patient to express frustration and clarify her struggle for the nurse. The distracters block communication.

Answer to Question 2

ANS: B
Alcohol abuse and dependence can develop at any age, and the geriatric population is particularly at risk. Losses, such as retirement, widowhood, and loneliness, are often related. The distracters describe patients with a lower risk for alcohol abuse.