EBERSOLE AND HESS GERONTOLOGICAL
NURSING AND HEALTHY AGING
COMPREHENSIVE EXAM PREP QUESTIONS
AND SOLUTIONS VERIFIED STUDY
RESOURCE
●● What happens when perfusion is disrupted?
Answer: Tissues may not receive enough oxygen or nutrients.
●● What is peripheral perfusion?
Answer: Adequate arterial blood flow through peripheral tissues.
●● What is central perfusion?
Answer: Blood pumped by the heart to oxygenate major organs.
●● What are pump problems in perfusion?
Answer: The heart cannot move blood effectively, causing circulation to
decrease.
●● What is a main exemplar of pump problems?
Answer: Congestive heart failure (CHF).
,●● What occurs in left-sided heart failure?
Answer: Blood backs up into the lungs, causing pulmonary congestion.
●● What are common findings in left-sided heart failure?
Answer: Crackles and shortness of breath.
●● What occurs in right-sided heart failure?
Answer: Blood backs up into systemic circulation.
●● What are common findings in right-sided heart failure?
Answer: Peripheral edema, jugular vein distension (JVD), and
abdominal swelling.
●● What are important cues for congestive heart failure?
Answer: Edema, crackles, shortness of breath, fatigue, and activity
intolerance.
●● What are pipe problems in perfusion?
Answer: Blood flow is physically blocked due to narrowed or blocked
vessels.
●● What is a main exemplar of pipe problems?
Answer: Peripheral artery disease (PAD).
,●● What happens in peripheral artery disease (PAD)?
Answer: Arteries narrow, making it difficult for blood to reach tissues,
usually affecting the legs.
●● What are common cues for peripheral artery disease (PAD)?
Answer: Cool extremities, weak pulses, pain with walking, and delayed
healing.
●● What happens in deep vein thrombosis (DVT)?
Answer: A clot blocks venous blood flow, with a major concern being
pulmonary embolism (PE).
●● What are common cues for deep vein thrombosis (DVT)?
Answer: Swelling, warmth, and unilateral leg pain in the affected
extremity.
●● What are pressure problems in perfusion?
Answer: Pressure inside vessels is too high or too low.
●● What is a main exemplar of pressure problems?
Answer: Hypertension.
, ●● What happens in hypertension?
Answer: Pressure stays elevated over time, damaging blood vessels
slowly.
●● What organs are affected by hypertension?
Answer: Heart, kidneys, brain, and eyes.
●● What are common cues for hypertension?
Answer: Elevated blood pressure, headache, vision changes, or
sometimes no symptoms.
●● What does low pressure indicate?
Answer: Hypovolemia or dehydration.
●● What are nursing priorities for perfusion issues?
Answer: Oxygen delivery to tissues, tissue perfusion, circulation, safety,
activity tolerance, energy management, and fluid balance.
●● What are red flags for perfusion problems?
Answer: Sudden shortness of breath, chest pain, worsening edema,
absent pulses, severe hypertension, and sudden mental status changes.
●● What is gerontological nursing?
NURSING AND HEALTHY AGING
COMPREHENSIVE EXAM PREP QUESTIONS
AND SOLUTIONS VERIFIED STUDY
RESOURCE
●● What happens when perfusion is disrupted?
Answer: Tissues may not receive enough oxygen or nutrients.
●● What is peripheral perfusion?
Answer: Adequate arterial blood flow through peripheral tissues.
●● What is central perfusion?
Answer: Blood pumped by the heart to oxygenate major organs.
●● What are pump problems in perfusion?
Answer: The heart cannot move blood effectively, causing circulation to
decrease.
●● What is a main exemplar of pump problems?
Answer: Congestive heart failure (CHF).
,●● What occurs in left-sided heart failure?
Answer: Blood backs up into the lungs, causing pulmonary congestion.
●● What are common findings in left-sided heart failure?
Answer: Crackles and shortness of breath.
●● What occurs in right-sided heart failure?
Answer: Blood backs up into systemic circulation.
●● What are common findings in right-sided heart failure?
Answer: Peripheral edema, jugular vein distension (JVD), and
abdominal swelling.
●● What are important cues for congestive heart failure?
Answer: Edema, crackles, shortness of breath, fatigue, and activity
intolerance.
●● What are pipe problems in perfusion?
Answer: Blood flow is physically blocked due to narrowed or blocked
vessels.
●● What is a main exemplar of pipe problems?
Answer: Peripheral artery disease (PAD).
,●● What happens in peripheral artery disease (PAD)?
Answer: Arteries narrow, making it difficult for blood to reach tissues,
usually affecting the legs.
●● What are common cues for peripheral artery disease (PAD)?
Answer: Cool extremities, weak pulses, pain with walking, and delayed
healing.
●● What happens in deep vein thrombosis (DVT)?
Answer: A clot blocks venous blood flow, with a major concern being
pulmonary embolism (PE).
●● What are common cues for deep vein thrombosis (DVT)?
Answer: Swelling, warmth, and unilateral leg pain in the affected
extremity.
●● What are pressure problems in perfusion?
Answer: Pressure inside vessels is too high or too low.
●● What is a main exemplar of pressure problems?
Answer: Hypertension.
, ●● What happens in hypertension?
Answer: Pressure stays elevated over time, damaging blood vessels
slowly.
●● What organs are affected by hypertension?
Answer: Heart, kidneys, brain, and eyes.
●● What are common cues for hypertension?
Answer: Elevated blood pressure, headache, vision changes, or
sometimes no symptoms.
●● What does low pressure indicate?
Answer: Hypovolemia or dehydration.
●● What are nursing priorities for perfusion issues?
Answer: Oxygen delivery to tissues, tissue perfusion, circulation, safety,
activity tolerance, energy management, and fluid balance.
●● What are red flags for perfusion problems?
Answer: Sudden shortness of breath, chest pain, worsening edema,
absent pulses, severe hypertension, and sudden mental status changes.
●● What is gerontological nursing?
