Author Question: The nurse is planning client education for an older adult being prepared for discharge home after ... (Read 87 times)

jjjetplane · **on:** Jul 23, 2018

The nurse is planning client education for an older adult being prepared for discharge home after hospitalization for a cardiac problem. Which nursing action addresses the most commonly deter-mined need for this age-group?

1. Suggest that he purchase an emergency in-home alert system.
2. Arrange for the client to receive meals delivered to his home daily.
3. Encourage the client to use a compartmentalized pill storage container for his dai-ly medications.
4. Provide a written document describing the medications the client is currently pre-scribed.

Question 2

In the assessment of older-adult clients, it is often difficult to discriminate between delirium and dementia. Delirium is characterized by:

1. A slow progression
2. Lasting months to years
3. A normal state of alertness
4. Occurrences at twilight or darkness

heinisk01 · **Reply #1 on:** Jul 23, 2018

Answer to Question 1

ANS: 3
Approximately two thirds of older adults use prescription and nonprescription drugs with one third of all prescriptions being written for older adults. A system that allows the client to sort his medication for daily dosage would help minimize the risk of overdosing as well as missing or-dered medications. While this option addresses the risk of injury in the home, it does not address the greatest need experienced by this age-groupthe risk of overmedication or undermedication of prescribed drugs. While this option does address the client's nutritional needs, it does not ad-dress the greatest need experienced by this age-groupthe risk of over- or under-medication of prescribed drugs. Although this option does address the client's need to monitor the medications he is prescribed, it does not address the greatest need experienced by this age-groupthe risk of overmedication or undermedication of prescribed drugs on a daily basis.

Answer to Question 2

ANS: 4
Delirium is characterized by short, diurnal fluctuations in symptoms and is worse at night, in darkness, and on awakening. Delirium has an abrupt onset. Dementia has a slow progression. De-lirium lasts hours to less than 1 month, seldom longer. Dementia may last months to years. Delir-ium is characterized by fluctuating alertness; the client may be lethargic or hypervigilant. Alert-ness is generally normal with dementia.