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GERONTOLOGICAL NURSING – LPN/RPN EXAM
2026 QUESTIONS LATEST VERSION QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS
GERONTOLOGICAL NURSING – LPN/RPN EXAM
250 Practice Questions with Rationales
SECTION 1: NORMAL AGING PROCESS & PHYSIOLOGICAL CHANGES
(Questions 1-30)
1. A practical nurse is assessing an 80-year-old client. Which of the following is a
normal physiological change associated with aging?
A. Increased cardiac output
B. Increased muscle mass
C. Decreased lung elasticity
D. Increased glomerular filtration rate
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Decreased lung elasticity is a normal age-related change that reduces vital
capacity and increases residual volume. Cardiac output (A) decreases with age. Muscle mass
(B) decreases with age (sarcopenia). Glomerular filtration rate (D) decreases with age.
2. A practical nurse is providing education to an older adult client about normal age-
related changes in the skin. Which of the following should the nurse include?
A. Increased skin turgor
B. Increased subcutaneous fat
C. Decreased skin elasticity
D. Increased sebaceous gland activity
Correct Answer: C
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Rationale: Decreased skin elasticity is a normal age-related change due to loss of collagen
and elastin. Skin turgor (A) decreases with age. Subcutaneous fat (B) decreases with age.
Sebaceous gland activity (D) decreases with age, leading to dry skin.
3. A practical nurse is assessing an older adult client's vision. Which of the following is a
normal age-related change?
A. Presbyopia
B. Increased visual acuity
C. Increased color discrimination
D. Increased depth perception
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Presbyopia (difficulty focusing on near objects) is a normal age-related change in
vision. Visual acuity (B), color discrimination (C), and depth perception (D) decrease with
age.
4. A practical nurse is assessing an older adult client's hearing. Which of the following is
a normal age-related change?
A. Presbycusis
B. Increased ability to hear high-frequency sounds
C. Increased ability to hear in noisy environments
D. Increased ability to hear low-frequency sounds
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Presbycusis (age-related hearing loss) is a normal age-related change. It primarily
affects high-frequency sounds. The ability to hear in noisy environments (C) decreases with
age.
5. A practical nurse is assessing an older adult client's musculoskeletal system. Which of
the following is a normal age-related change?
A. Increased bone density
B. Increased joint mobility
C. Decreased muscle mass
D. Increased height
Correct Answer: C
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Rationale: Decreased muscle mass (sarcopenia) is a normal age-related change. Bone density
(A) decreases with age. Joint mobility (B) decreases with age. Height (D) decreases with age
due to vertebral compression.
6. A practical nurse is assessing an older adult client's gastrointestinal system. Which of
the following is a normal age-related change?
A. Increased peristalsis
B. Decreased gastric acid secretion
C. Increased nutrient absorption
D. Increased appetite
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Decreased gastric acid secretion is a normal age-related change that can affect the
absorption of certain nutrients (e.g., vitamin B12). Peristalsis (A) decreases with age.
Nutrient absorption (C) decreases with age. Appetite (D) often decreases with age.
7. A practical nurse is assessing an older adult client's renal function. Which of the
following is a normal age-related change?
A. Increased glomerular filtration rate
B. Decreased glomerular filtration rate
C. Increased ability to concentrate urine
D. Increased ability to excrete drugs
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Decreased glomerular filtration rate is a normal age-related change that affects
drug clearance. The ability to concentrate urine (C) and excrete drugs (D) decreases with age.
8. A practical nurse is assessing an older adult client's cardiovascular system. Which of
the following is a normal age-related change?
A. Increased cardiac output
B. Decreased arterial stiffness
C. Increased systolic blood pressure
D. Decreased peripheral vascular resistance
Correct Answer: C
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Rationale: Increased systolic blood pressure is a normal age-related change due to arterial
stiffness. Cardiac output (A) decreases with age. Arterial stiffness (B) increases with age.
Peripheral vascular resistance (D) increases with age.
9. A practical nurse is assessing an older adult client's neurological system. Which of the
following is a normal age-related change?
A. Decreased reaction time
B. Increased nerve conduction velocity
C. Increased cerebral blood flow
D. Increased number of neurons
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Decreased reaction time is a normal age-related change due to slowed nerve
conduction. Nerve conduction velocity (B) decreases with age. Cerebral blood flow (C)
decreases with age. The number of neurons (D) decreases with age.
10. A practical nurse is assessing an older adult client's sleep patterns. Which of the
following is a normal age-related change?
A. Increased deep sleep
B. Increased REM sleep
C. Decreased total sleep time
D. Increased sleep efficiency
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Decreased total sleep time is a normal age-related change. Deep sleep (A) and
REM sleep (B) decrease with age. Sleep efficiency (D) decreases with age.
11. A practical nurse is assessing an older adult client's fluid balance. Which of the
following is a normal age-related change?
A. Increased total body water
B. Increased thirst sensation
C. Decreased total body water
D. Increased ability to conserve water
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Decreased total body water is a normal age-related change. Thirst sensation (B)
decreases with age. The ability to conserve water (D) decreases with age.
GERONTOLOGICAL NURSING – LPN/RPN EXAM
2026 QUESTIONS LATEST VERSION QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS
GERONTOLOGICAL NURSING – LPN/RPN EXAM
250 Practice Questions with Rationales
SECTION 1: NORMAL AGING PROCESS & PHYSIOLOGICAL CHANGES
(Questions 1-30)
1. A practical nurse is assessing an 80-year-old client. Which of the following is a
normal physiological change associated with aging?
A. Increased cardiac output
B. Increased muscle mass
C. Decreased lung elasticity
D. Increased glomerular filtration rate
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Decreased lung elasticity is a normal age-related change that reduces vital
capacity and increases residual volume. Cardiac output (A) decreases with age. Muscle mass
(B) decreases with age (sarcopenia). Glomerular filtration rate (D) decreases with age.
2. A practical nurse is providing education to an older adult client about normal age-
related changes in the skin. Which of the following should the nurse include?
A. Increased skin turgor
B. Increased subcutaneous fat
C. Decreased skin elasticity
D. Increased sebaceous gland activity
Correct Answer: C
, Page 2 of 76
Rationale: Decreased skin elasticity is a normal age-related change due to loss of collagen
and elastin. Skin turgor (A) decreases with age. Subcutaneous fat (B) decreases with age.
Sebaceous gland activity (D) decreases with age, leading to dry skin.
3. A practical nurse is assessing an older adult client's vision. Which of the following is a
normal age-related change?
A. Presbyopia
B. Increased visual acuity
C. Increased color discrimination
D. Increased depth perception
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Presbyopia (difficulty focusing on near objects) is a normal age-related change in
vision. Visual acuity (B), color discrimination (C), and depth perception (D) decrease with
age.
4. A practical nurse is assessing an older adult client's hearing. Which of the following is
a normal age-related change?
A. Presbycusis
B. Increased ability to hear high-frequency sounds
C. Increased ability to hear in noisy environments
D. Increased ability to hear low-frequency sounds
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Presbycusis (age-related hearing loss) is a normal age-related change. It primarily
affects high-frequency sounds. The ability to hear in noisy environments (C) decreases with
age.
5. A practical nurse is assessing an older adult client's musculoskeletal system. Which of
the following is a normal age-related change?
A. Increased bone density
B. Increased joint mobility
C. Decreased muscle mass
D. Increased height
Correct Answer: C
, Page 3 of 76
Rationale: Decreased muscle mass (sarcopenia) is a normal age-related change. Bone density
(A) decreases with age. Joint mobility (B) decreases with age. Height (D) decreases with age
due to vertebral compression.
6. A practical nurse is assessing an older adult client's gastrointestinal system. Which of
the following is a normal age-related change?
A. Increased peristalsis
B. Decreased gastric acid secretion
C. Increased nutrient absorption
D. Increased appetite
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Decreased gastric acid secretion is a normal age-related change that can affect the
absorption of certain nutrients (e.g., vitamin B12). Peristalsis (A) decreases with age.
Nutrient absorption (C) decreases with age. Appetite (D) often decreases with age.
7. A practical nurse is assessing an older adult client's renal function. Which of the
following is a normal age-related change?
A. Increased glomerular filtration rate
B. Decreased glomerular filtration rate
C. Increased ability to concentrate urine
D. Increased ability to excrete drugs
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Decreased glomerular filtration rate is a normal age-related change that affects
drug clearance. The ability to concentrate urine (C) and excrete drugs (D) decreases with age.
8. A practical nurse is assessing an older adult client's cardiovascular system. Which of
the following is a normal age-related change?
A. Increased cardiac output
B. Decreased arterial stiffness
C. Increased systolic blood pressure
D. Decreased peripheral vascular resistance
Correct Answer: C
, Page 4 of 76
Rationale: Increased systolic blood pressure is a normal age-related change due to arterial
stiffness. Cardiac output (A) decreases with age. Arterial stiffness (B) increases with age.
Peripheral vascular resistance (D) increases with age.
9. A practical nurse is assessing an older adult client's neurological system. Which of the
following is a normal age-related change?
A. Decreased reaction time
B. Increased nerve conduction velocity
C. Increased cerebral blood flow
D. Increased number of neurons
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Decreased reaction time is a normal age-related change due to slowed nerve
conduction. Nerve conduction velocity (B) decreases with age. Cerebral blood flow (C)
decreases with age. The number of neurons (D) decreases with age.
10. A practical nurse is assessing an older adult client's sleep patterns. Which of the
following is a normal age-related change?
A. Increased deep sleep
B. Increased REM sleep
C. Decreased total sleep time
D. Increased sleep efficiency
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Decreased total sleep time is a normal age-related change. Deep sleep (A) and
REM sleep (B) decrease with age. Sleep efficiency (D) decreases with age.
11. A practical nurse is assessing an older adult client's fluid balance. Which of the
following is a normal age-related change?
A. Increased total body water
B. Increased thirst sensation
C. Decreased total body water
D. Increased ability to conserve water
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Decreased total body water is a normal age-related change. Thirst sensation (B)
decreases with age. The ability to conserve water (D) decreases with age.
