Your patient is diagnosed with delirium. He is awake most of the ...

[Arii_bell]

Your patient is diagnosed with delirium. He is awake most of the night and becomes increasingly confused. Which is the best initial intervention?
 
  A.
  Keep the television on to provide stimulation.
  B.
  Give him a sleeping pill.
  C.
  Keep a night light on in the room and turn off the television.
  D.
  Keep the lights on in the room.

Question 2

Your patient with advanced Alzheimer's disease keeps searching the unit for her mother who died many years ago. How should you respond?
 
  A.
  Your mother isn't hereshe died long ago.
  B.
  Let's go to the activity room and see what's going on.
  C.
  You must be upset that you can't find her.
  D.
  What makes you keep looking for your mother?

[vkodali]

Answer to Question 1

ANS: C
Reducing stimulating sounds and providing some light to keep him oriented to his surroundings is the best initial intervention. A sleeping pill can add to confusion.

Answer to Question 2

ANS: B
With advanced Alzheimer's disease, reorientation is often ineffective because the patient will not remember. Open-ended questions are also less effective. Response B uses distraction to refocus the patient's attention on the here and now.