The nurse is assessing an older patient's musculoskeletal status. ...

[arivle123]

The nurse is assessing an older patient's musculoskeletal status. What should the nurse consider as normal findings for this patient?
 
  Select all that apply.
  1. decreased bone mass and minerals
  2. increased calcium reabsorption
  3. atrophied muscle fibers
  4. elongated vertebrae
  5. decreased range of motion

Question 2

A health-conscious young adult female asks the nurse what diagnostic test might help predict the likelihood for developing osteoporosis. With which diagnostic test should respond?
 
  1. arthroscopy
  2. an electromyogram (EMG)
  3. somatosensory evoked potential (SSEP)
  4. dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA)

[pami445]

Answer to Question 1

Correct Answer: 1, 3, 5
With aging, decreased bone mass, minerals, and calcium absorption contribute to bones that are thinner and weaker. Muscle fibers atrophy, leading to loss of muscle mass, strength, and agility. The vertebrae shorten and height decreases. Range of motion declines as cartilage on bone surfaces in joints deteriorates, making movement more painful.

Answer to Question 2

Correct Answer: 4
The DEXA can calculate the size and thickness of bone. Arthroscopy is an endoscopic examination of a joint. The electromyogram measures electrical activity of skeletal muscles at rest and during contraction, while the SSEP measures nerve conduction.