Author Question: A patient with a cognitive deficit becomes agitated and upset about not being able to remember daily ... (Read 78 times)

pragya sharda · **on:** Jun 25, 2018

A patient with a cognitive deficit becomes agitated and upset about not being able to remember daily activities. How should the nurse respond to this agitation?

a. Tell the patient not to worry about it.
b. Provide an easy-to-follow calendar and reinforce the information.
c. Explain that becoming upset is not going to help the situation.
d. Remind the patient that now is the time to rest and relax.

Question 2

The patient has been brought to the emergency department by a family member, who states that she just doesn't know what to do. The patient often forgets where he is and refuses to bathe or change clothes.

He will put things on the stove and forget that he has something cooking. She is obviously concerned for her loved one's safety. The nurse is likely to interpret these symptoms as signs of:
a. depression.
b. amnesia.
c. aphasia.
d. Alzheimer's disease.

Dominic · **Reply #1 on:** Jun 25, 2018

Answer to Question 1

B
If the patient has difficulty remembering when to perform tasks (e.g., paying bills, taking medicines), help the patient to create a list, or post reminder notes in a conspicuous location (e.g., bulletin board, front of refrigerator), provide a medication container organized by days of the week, and recommend a wristwatch with alarm to signal medication administration times. Memory function in older adults tends to be preserved for relevant, well-learned material. Lists and organizers will help the patient cope with memory loss and safely perform activities. Telling the patient not to worry negates the patient's feelings. Reminding the patient that it is his or her time to rest and relax may be seen as a dismissal. False reassurance is not helpful to the patient. Focus on the patient's abilities, and modify approaches used to perform daily activities.

Answer to Question 2

D
Alzheimer's disease is a form of dementia that causes problems with memory, thinking, or behavior. There is also a risk for wandering, where patients repeatedly try to carry out tasks or leave the place of residence. Depression is a chronic, insidious emotional disorder characterized by feelings of sadness, melancholy, dejection, and worthlessness that are inappropriate and out of proportion to reality. Amnesia is loss of memory. This is only one symptom of Alzheimer's disease. The patient has several symptoms. Aphasia is the loss of language skills. This is only one symptom of Alzheimer's disease, and it is not one that the patient's family member has identified.