NUR 2214 Week 8 Quiz V2 | NUR 2214
Nursing Care of the Older Adult | Actual
Q&A with Rationale (NUR2214 Week 8
Quiz) | Rasmussen University
1. A nurse is caring for an older adult patient who is in the terminal stage of lung cancer. The
patient’s family asks about the primary goal of palliative care. Which response by the nurse is
most appropriate?
A. To improve the quality of life for both the patient and the family.
B. To provide curative treatments for the underlying disease.
C. To hasten the dying process when pain becomes unbearable.
D. To limit medical interventions to only those required by law.
Answer: A
Rationale: Palliative care focuses on the relief of symptoms and the stress of a serious
illness. The goal is to improve quality of life for both the patient and the family by
addressing physical, intellectual, emotional, social, and spiritual needs. It is appropriate at
any age and at any stage in a serious illness and can be provided together with curative
treatment.
,2. An older adult patient has a Living Will that specifies no enteral feedings. The patient’s
daughter, who is the Durable Power of Attorney (DPOA), requests a feeding tube. Which
action should the nurse take?
A. Insert the feeding tube as requested by the DPOA.
B. Ask the hospital chaplain to convince the daughter to follow the will.
C. Ignore both the daughter and the Living Will and consult the physician.
D. Consult with the ethics committee and follow the patient’s Living Will.
Answer: D
Rationale: A Living Will is a legal document that expresses the patient’s wishes regarding
medical treatment when they can no longer make decisions. While a DPOA has decision-
making power, the patient’s previously stated wishes in a Living Will generally take
precedence in many jurisdictions. The nurse should advocate for the patient’s autonomy
and utilize the facility’s ethics committee to resolve the conflict between the document and
the family’s wishes.
3. The nurse is assessing an actively dying patient and notes loud, wet respirations, often
referred to as a ‘death rattle.’ Which intervention is most effective for this symptom?
A. Perform deep oropharyngeal suctioning every 30 minutes.
B. Reposition the patient on their side and administer anticholinergic medications.
C. Increase the IV fluid rate to thin the secretions.
D. Place the patient in a prone position.
, Answer: B
Rationale: The ‘death rattle’ is caused by the accumulation of secretions in the pharynx
and upper airways when the patient is too weak to cough. Anticholinergic medications like
scopolamine or atropine are used to dry up these secretions. Repositioning the patient on
their side helps gravity drain the secretions and is less invasive and traumatic than deep
suctioning.
4. A nurse is teaching a family about the physiological changes associated with the end-of-life
process. Which statement regarding the ‘surge of energy’ is correct?
A. It is a brief period of increased mental clarity or physical energy before death.
B. It is a sign that the patient’s nutritional status is improving.
C. It indicates the patient is entering a period of remission.
D. It occurs only in patients receiving aggressive chemotherapy.
Answer: A
Rationale: Many patients experience a final surge of energy, characterized by increased
alertness, physical activity, or appetite shortly before death. This phenomenon can be
confusing for families who may believe the patient is getting better. The nurse must explain
that this is a common occurrence in the dying process to help the family prepare for the
imminent passing.
5. Which clinical manifestation is a hallmark sign of imminent death in an older adult?
A. Hyperactive bowel sounds.
Nursing Care of the Older Adult | Actual
Q&A with Rationale (NUR2214 Week 8
Quiz) | Rasmussen University
1. A nurse is caring for an older adult patient who is in the terminal stage of lung cancer. The
patient’s family asks about the primary goal of palliative care. Which response by the nurse is
most appropriate?
A. To improve the quality of life for both the patient and the family.
B. To provide curative treatments for the underlying disease.
C. To hasten the dying process when pain becomes unbearable.
D. To limit medical interventions to only those required by law.
Answer: A
Rationale: Palliative care focuses on the relief of symptoms and the stress of a serious
illness. The goal is to improve quality of life for both the patient and the family by
addressing physical, intellectual, emotional, social, and spiritual needs. It is appropriate at
any age and at any stage in a serious illness and can be provided together with curative
treatment.
,2. An older adult patient has a Living Will that specifies no enteral feedings. The patient’s
daughter, who is the Durable Power of Attorney (DPOA), requests a feeding tube. Which
action should the nurse take?
A. Insert the feeding tube as requested by the DPOA.
B. Ask the hospital chaplain to convince the daughter to follow the will.
C. Ignore both the daughter and the Living Will and consult the physician.
D. Consult with the ethics committee and follow the patient’s Living Will.
Answer: D
Rationale: A Living Will is a legal document that expresses the patient’s wishes regarding
medical treatment when they can no longer make decisions. While a DPOA has decision-
making power, the patient’s previously stated wishes in a Living Will generally take
precedence in many jurisdictions. The nurse should advocate for the patient’s autonomy
and utilize the facility’s ethics committee to resolve the conflict between the document and
the family’s wishes.
3. The nurse is assessing an actively dying patient and notes loud, wet respirations, often
referred to as a ‘death rattle.’ Which intervention is most effective for this symptom?
A. Perform deep oropharyngeal suctioning every 30 minutes.
B. Reposition the patient on their side and administer anticholinergic medications.
C. Increase the IV fluid rate to thin the secretions.
D. Place the patient in a prone position.
, Answer: B
Rationale: The ‘death rattle’ is caused by the accumulation of secretions in the pharynx
and upper airways when the patient is too weak to cough. Anticholinergic medications like
scopolamine or atropine are used to dry up these secretions. Repositioning the patient on
their side helps gravity drain the secretions and is less invasive and traumatic than deep
suctioning.
4. A nurse is teaching a family about the physiological changes associated with the end-of-life
process. Which statement regarding the ‘surge of energy’ is correct?
A. It is a brief period of increased mental clarity or physical energy before death.
B. It is a sign that the patient’s nutritional status is improving.
C. It indicates the patient is entering a period of remission.
D. It occurs only in patients receiving aggressive chemotherapy.
Answer: A
Rationale: Many patients experience a final surge of energy, characterized by increased
alertness, physical activity, or appetite shortly before death. This phenomenon can be
confusing for families who may believe the patient is getting better. The nurse must explain
that this is a common occurrence in the dying process to help the family prepare for the
imminent passing.
5. Which clinical manifestation is a hallmark sign of imminent death in an older adult?
A. Hyperactive bowel sounds.
