Author Question: During a morning assessment the nurse notes that the oral temperature of an older patient is 96F ... (Read 82 times)

P68T · **on:** Jul 11, 2018

During a morning assessment the nurse notes that the oral temperature of an older patient is 96F (35.6C). What guide will the nurse use to make decisions about this assessment finding?

A) Older adults are at increased risk for hyperthermia
B) Low temperature constitutes a risk to cardiac health
C) Older adults often lose body heat in response to infection
D) The normal body temperature of older adults is often lower than that of younger people

Question 2

Which of the following therapies may be most helpful in slowing the progression of symptoms in Alzheimer's disease?

A) Medications that stop or slow the enzyme that breaks down acetylcholine
B) Avoiding exposure to aluminum
C) Prophylactic use of antibiotics
D) Avoiding exposure to zinc

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

Answer to Question 1

D
Feedback:
While it is true that older adults are often at risk from temperature fluctuations in general and hyperthermia in particular, this should not guide the nurse's interpretation of the assessment as much as the fact that older adults often have lower core temperatures. Fever constitutes a cardiac risk, and while older adults may fail to become febrile during an infection, they are not noted to develop hypothermia as a result.

Answer to Question 2

A
Feedback:
Medications that stop or slow the enzyme that breaks down acetylcholine may be helpful in slowing the progression of symptoms in Alzheimer's disease. Avoiding exposure to aluminum has not been conclusively identified as having a role in the development of Alzheimer's disease. Low zinc levels are present in persons with Alzheimer's disease, although it is not known if this is a cause or a result of the disease. There is no evidence that prophylactic antibiotics can slow the progression of Alzheimer's disease, let alone prevent it.