A nursing student is planning care for an elderly patient who is ...

[jazziefee]

A nursing student is planning care for an elderly patient who is experiencing pain. Which of the following statements made by the nursing student indicates the need for the nursing professor to clarify the nursing student's knowledge?
 
  a. Older patients often have difficulty determining what is causing their pain.
  b. It is safe to administer opioids to older adults as long as you start with small doses and frequently assess the patient's response to the medication.
  c. As adults age, their ability to perceive pain decreases.
  d. Patients who have dementia probably experience pain, and their pain is not always well controlled.

Question 2

An older adult client in a nursing home tells the nurse that she is lonely. Based on this infor-mation, the nurse believes this client may benefit from which of the following complementary therapies?
 
  a. Simple touch
  b. Traditional Chinese medicine
  c. Dance therapy
  d. Guided imagery

[lolol]

Answer to Question 1

B
Aging does not affect the ability to perceive pain. Sometimes older adults have difficulty interpreting their pain and determining its cause because multiple diseases and vague symptoms affect similar parts of the body. Opioids are safe to use in older adults as long as they are slowly titrated and the nurse frequently monitors the patient. Current evidence shows that patients with dementia most likely experience unrelieved pain because their pain is difficult to assess.

Answer to Question 2

A
Simple touch helps older adult clients feel more connected to their environment and accepted by those around them.
Chinese medicine comprises several healing modalities including herbs, acupuncture, moxibus-tion, diet, exercise, and meditation. The older adult client may be experiencing skin hunger, where simple touch would be an appropriate solution.
Dance therapy may not be an appropriate intervention for an older adult client in a nursing home.
Guided imagery may not be an appropriate intervention for an older adult client in a nursing home as it requires a certain amount of concentration.

[jazziefee]

TYSM

[at]

Gracias!