The daughter of an older patient with dementia tearfully tells ...

[s.tung]

The daughter of an older patient with dementia tearfully tells the nurse that she doesn't know what's wrong with her mother, who has begun accusing the family of holding her prisoner. Which nursing diagnosis would be appropriate for this patient?
 
  a. Powerlessness
  b. Defensive coping
  c. Ineffective coping
  d. Disturbed thought processes

Question 2

An elderly patient was well until 12 hours ago, when she reported to her family that in the middle of the night she awakened to see a man standing at the foot of her bed.
 
  There is no evidence that this situation ever happened. This series of events supports which possible diagnosis?
  a. Delirium
  b. Anxiety
  c. Paranoia
  d. Dementia

[allisonblackmore]

Answer to Question 1

ANS: D
Paranoid thinking is common in patients with dementia. Inability to correctly interpret envi-ronmental clues and to think logically leads to delusional thinking as the patient tries to make sense of a confusing world. The remaining options are not supported by the data in the sce-nario.

Answer to Question 2

ANS: A
Delirium is a disturbance of consciousness and cognition that develops over a short period. It is secondary to a medical condition. The scenario does not fit the disorders mentioned in the remaining options.

[s.tung]

Excellent

[nothere]

Thanks for the timely response, appreciate it