Author Question: An alert but disoriented older patient lives with family members. The home health nurse, being aware ... (Read 109 times)

CBme · **on:** Jul 11, 2018

An alert but disoriented older patient lives with family members. The home health nurse, being aware of the role of patient advocate, recognizes the obligation to report possible patient abuse based on

a. a family member stating, It's hard being a caregiver.
b. assessment showing bruises in the genital area.
c. observation of mild changes in orientation.
d. patient's report of always being hungry.

Question 2

A patient residing in a long-term care facility has been experiencing restlessness and has often been found by nursing staff wandering in and out of other patients' rooms during the night

The nurse views the patient's PRN antipsychotic medication order as:
a. an appropriate intervention to help assure his safety.
b. an option to be used only when all other nondrug interventions prove ineffective.
c. inappropriate unless the physician is noti-fied and approves its use.
d. not an option because it should not be used to manage behaviors of this type.

ecabral0 · **Reply #1 on:** Jul 11, 2018

Answer to Question 1

B
Even when a patient exhibits disorientation, any report of mistreatment or neglect is to be consi-dered reasonably suspicious and so should be reported. Bruises in the genital area raise suspicions of abuse. The family stating caregiving is hard does not mean they don't have enough support to cope. Mild changes in orientation may be expected in a disoriented patient. The patient who is always hungry should be followed up with a nutrition assessment, and this may or may not be a sign of abuse.

Answer to Question 2

D
Reasons for the use of antipsychotic drugs do not include behaviors such as restlessness, insom-nia, yelling or screaming, inability to manage the resident, or wandering. The staff must provide nondrug alternatives to help calm the patient.