A confused older-adult patient is wearing thick glasses and a ...

[karen]

A confused older-adult patient is wearing thick glasses and a hearing aid. Which intervention is the priority to facilitate communication?
 
  a. Focus on tasks to be completed.
  b. Allow time for the patient to respond.
  c. Limit conversations with the patient.
  d. Use gestures and other nonverbal cues.

Question 2

Which situation will cause the nurse to intervene and follow up on the nursing assistive personnel's (NAP) behavior?
 
  a. The nursing assistive personnel is calling the older-adult patient honey.
  b. The nursing assistive personnel is facing the older-adult patient when talking.
  c. The nursing assistive personnel cleans the older-adult patient's glasses gently.
  d. The nursing assistive personnel allows time for the older-adult patient to respond.

[kalskdjl1212]

Answer to Question 1

ANS: B
Allowing time for patients to respond will facilitate communication, especially for a confused, older patient. Focusing on tasks to be completed and limiting conversations do not facilitate communication; in fact, they block communication. Using gestures and other nonverbal cues is not effective for visually impaired (thick glasses) patients or for patients who are confused.

Answer to Question 2

ANS: A
The nurse needs to intervene to correct the use of honey. Avoid terms of endearment such as honey, dear, grandma, or sweetheart. Communicate with older adults on an adult level, and avoid patronizing or speaking in a condescending manner. Facing an older-adult patient, making sure the older adult has clean glasses, and allowing time to respond facilitate communication with older-adult patients and should be encouraged, not stopped.

[karen]

Thanks for the timely response, appreciate it

[kthug]

Great answer, keep it coming