Author Question: An older patient is observed grimacing whenever walking and getting in and out of bed. When ... (Read 30 times)

kfurse · **on:** Jul 11, 2018

An older patient is observed grimacing whenever walking and getting in and out of bed. When assessed, the patient regularly denies having any pain. To best provide the patient with effective pain control, the nurse initially

a. discusses the effects of untreated pain on the patient's general wellness.
b. offers the patient a prescribed prn anal-gesic.
c. asks the patient why he is denying the presence of pain.
d. documents the symptoms that the patient is exhibiting.

Question 2

When appropriately addressing safety issues, the geriatric nurse plans the patient's care plan directed by the standard of care that requires

a. promoting both health and wellness by assuring safety.
b. minimizing the patient's risk for physical injury while preserving autonomy.
c. identifying safety from injury as a patient right.
d. emphasizing beneficence as a an ethical standard of nursing care.

kescobar@64 · **Reply #1 on:** Jul 11, 2018

Answer to Question 1

A
Older adult patients actually underreport pain and are therefore at risk for undertreatment of pain, which may cause unnecessary suffering, exacerbation of the underlying disease, and reduction in activities of daily living (ADLs) and quality of life. Without this information the patient is unlikely to take the prn medication. Why questions are not therapeutic, as they place people on the defensive. The symptoms should be documented, but this should not be the only action.

Answer to Question 2

B
When working with older adults, the gerontologic nurse must provide a standard of care that promotes safety and prevents foreseeable accidents or injuries while also respecting individuals' autonomy to make decisions. This requires a delicate balance. The other options do not address standards.