An older patient is prescribed a large calcium tablet every day ...

[sdfghj]

An older patient is prescribed a large calcium tablet every day but objects because it is difficult to swallow it without choking. What action should the nurse take in this situation?
 
  A) Substitute a glass of milk for the tablet
  B) Ask the physician if it can be discontinued
  C) Find the most concentrated form of the same dose
  D) Ask the patient to swallow the tablet along with food or drink

Question 2

The daughter of an 80-year-old female patient with a diagnosis of severe ischemic heart disease has been her mother's sole care provider for over a year.
 
  The daughter is tearfully telling the homecare nurse about the onerous burden that she bears by struggling to meet her mother's ever-increasing needs. How can the nurse best respond to the daughter? A) There are promising new treatments for heart disease that hold a great potential for your mother..
  B) It's very normal for you to feel this way, given how much you do for your mother; perhaps we can explore other living options together..
  C) It sound like it is probably time to place your mother into long term care..
  D) This must be difficult for you; many others in a circumstance similar to yours find it useful to remind themselves of how much their parents did for them when they were young..

[makaylafy]

Answer to Question 1

C
Feedback:
Calcium is needed by any elderly person, and in greater amounts than provided by a glass of milk. Also, many people are lactose intolerant. Tablets from various sources differ in size and shape, making some easier to swallow than others. Taking a tablet with food and perhaps even crushing it if the tablet is not coated, may help somewhat, but a smaller tablet is the easiest solution. Discontinuing the supplement is not a viable option.

Answer to Question 2

B
Feedback:
Answer B acknowledges the family members burden and tactfully introduces alternatives in a way that is more respectful than in answer C. Answer A overemphasizes curing rather than the daughter's burden of responsibility and answer D is likely to foster guilt rather than a solution.