A 54-year-old client expresses concern about her weakening sense ...

[jeatrice]

A 54-year-old client expresses concern about her weakening sense of smell to the nurse during an admission interview. The nurse's most therapeutic response is:
 
  1. I don't think it is anything to worry about, but you could mention it to your health care provider
  2. That is really a fairly common complaint of people your age; I don't think there is anything to worry about
  3. As long as you can smell things like smoke if there is a fire, I think it is some-thing you need to get used to
  4. As long as you can smell things like smoke if there is a fire, I think it is some-thing you need to get used to

Question 2

The nurse is discussing vision and hearing health with a group of senior citizens. Which of the following individuals should be given special encouragement to have regular eye screenings for the presence of glaucoma?
 
  1. An African American with hypertension
  2. An Asian with osteoarthritis in the hands
  3. A white with peripheral vascular disease
  4. A Hispanic with type 2 diabetes

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Answer to Question 1

ANS: 4
Gustatory and olfactory changes begin around age 50 and include a decrease in the number of taste buds and a decrease in the number of sensory cells in the nasal lining. Reduced taste dis-crimination and reduced sensitivity to odors are common. The remaining options do not provide the most likely cause of the sensory deficit.

Answer to Question 2

ANS: 1
Glaucoma is almost 3 times as common in African Americans as in white Americans. The re-maining options represent ethnic groups with eye-related risk factors but not necessarily for glaucoma.