When teaching an elderly patient about safety in the bathroom, ...

[audragclark]

When teaching an elderly patient about safety in the bathroom, which of the following recommendations should the nurse make?
 
  a. Use bath oils to maintain skin integrity and suppleness.
  b. Hang towels on grab bars for easy access.
  c. Make sure the bathroom door can be locked from the inside only for privacy.
  d. Shower using a shower stool and a handheld sprayer.

Question 2

The nurse is assessing a patient for mobility problems that could lead to falls. She has the patient perform a Timed Up and Go (TUG) test. The nurse uses this test to gauge:
 
  a. the patient's ability to perform advanced ambulation maneuvers.
  b. whether the patient can walk 30 feet without fatiguing.
  c. whether the patient can tolerate the activity for longer than 30 seconds.
  d. how quickly the patient can perform the test.

[blazinlyss]

Answer to Question 1

D
A shower stool allows the patient to sit while showering. Use of bath oils makes the tub surface slippery and increases the risk for falls. Do not hang towels on grab bars. Some patients accidentally grab the towel instead of the bar when needing support. Be sure that bathroom doors can be unlocked from both sides of the door. Functional locks prevent the person from becoming trapped in the bathroom.

Answer to Question 2

D
Conduct a TUG for basic mobility. Instruct the patient to rise from a standard chair, walk approximately 10 feet (3 meters), turn around, walk back to the chair, and sit in the chair again. Have patient perform the test 3 times, and then calculate the mean score. Time the patient while he or she performs the activity. The normal time required to finish the test is less than 13.5 seconds. Individuals who cannot complete the test probably have mobility problems, especially if the time is greater than 20 seconds. This is not a test for tolerance of activity.