An older adult patient is brought to the emergency department ...

[olgavictoria]

An older adult patient is brought to the emergency department (ED) by family members. The patient is disoriented and confused and has difficulty with attention. Family members report that the symptoms came on suddenly.
 
  Which is the nurse's priority for assessment?
  1. Risk factors for depression
  2. Risk factors for dementia
  3. Risk factors for schizophrenia
  4. Risk factors for delirium

Question 2

The nurse is teaching staff at a long-term health care facility about depression in older adults. Which comment by a staff member indicates the need for further teaching?
 
  1. Lack of interest or apathy may be a sign of depression in older adults.
  2. Inability to organize and extract information may indicate depression in older adults.
  3. Sadness or feeling blue are normal aspects of the aging process and are not a cause for concern.
  4. Older adults with depression may exhibit an excessive preoccupation with chronic constipation or pain.

[Sweetkitty24130]

Answer to Question 1

Answer: 4
Explanation: Delirium, a confusional state with rapid onset, can often be misdiagnosed as dementia, depression, or other psychiatric disorders. The nurse will assess for risk factors that may suggest an underlying cause of delirium. Dementia is a slow, progressive condition. Signs and symptoms of schizophrenia generally develop over weeks to months, not suddenly. Depression is characterized by a persistent dysphoric state, not sudden confusion and disorientation.

Answer to Question 2

Answer: 3
Explanation: Depressed older adults may feel they are supposed to feel sad or blue as they age; however, these are not normal aspects of the aging process. Depression may be exhibited in older adults by a preoccupation with physical symptoms such as chronic pain or constipationcalled somatization. Loss of executive function, which includes the ability to sequence, organize, or extract information, as well as loss of interest and apathy may indicate depression in older adults.