Author Question: A 78-year-old client has been brought to the emergency department from home with a sudden change in ... (Read 83 times)

craiczarry · **on:** Jul 11, 2018

A 78-year-old client has been brought to the emergency department from home with a sudden change in mental status accompanied by significant weakness. For which condition should the health care providers assess?

A) Alzheimer disease
B) Lung cancer
C) Pneumonia
D) Tuberculosis

Question 2

A 70-year-old client smoked for 30 years and has a history of COPD. The spouse assists with cooking, cleaning, and transportation. The spouse has become ill, and they now receive assistance from a home health nurse.

Which of the following interventions should be the priority?

A) Assisting the clients to perform instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs)
B) Determining a plan for providing meals
C) Setting up medications for the clients
D) Smoking cessation plan

aprice35067 · **Reply #1 on:** Jul 11, 2018

Answer to Question 1

Ans: C
In older adults, pneumonia often has a presentation that differs from that of younger adults. Rather than presenting with a cough, chills, dyspnea, elevated temperature, and elevated white blood cell count, older adults are more likely to have subtler and nonspecific disease manifestations such as fatigue and change in mental status. Alzheimer disease has an insidious onset. Lung cancer and tuberculosis are not characterized by cognitive deficits.

Answer to Question 2

Ans: B
The nurse's role is not to perform the IADLs, but to plan for the IADLs including meals, cleaning, and transportation. There is no indication that the clients need their medications set up, smoking cession is important, but basic needs come first.