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GERONTOLOGICAL NURSING – RN EXAM LATEST
VERSION QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 2026
EDITION
GERONTOLOGICAL NURSING – RN EXAM
250 Practice Questions with Rationales
EXAM OVERVIEW
SECTION 1: NORMAL AGING PROCESS & PHYSIOLOGICAL CHANGES (Questions 1-
30)
1. A nurse is assessing an older adult client. Which of the following is a normal
physiological change associated with aging?
A. Increased cardiac output
B. Increased glomerular filtration rate
C. Decreased lung elasticity
D. Increased muscle mass
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.
Glomerular filtration rate (B) decreases with age. Muscle mass (D) decreases with age
(sarcopenia).
2. A nurse is assessing an older adult client's skin. Which of the following is a
normal age-related skin change?
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A. Increased skin turgor
B. Increased subcutaneous fat
C. Decreased skin elasticity
D. Increased sebaceous gland activity
Correct Answer: C
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 nurse is assessing an older adult client's sensory function. Which of the
following is a normal age-related change in vision?
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) decreases with age. Color discrimination (C)
decreases with age. Depth perception (D) decreases with age.
4. A nurse is assessing an older adult client's hearing. Which of the following is a
normal age-related change in hearing?
A. Presbycusis
B. Increased ability to hear high-frequency sounds
C. Increased ability to hear low-frequency sounds
D. Increased ability to hear in noisy environments
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Presbycusis (age-related hearing loss) is a normal age-related change. It
primarily affects high-frequency sounds, not low-frequency (C). The ability to hear in
noisy environments (D) decreases with age.
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5. A 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
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 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 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
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Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Decreased glomerular filtration rate is a normal age-related change that
affects drug clearance. The ability to concentrate urine (C) decreases with age. The
ability to excrete drugs (D) decreases with age.
8. A 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
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 nurse is assessing an older adult client's respiratory system. Which of the
following is a normal age-related change?
A. Increased vital capacity
B. Decreased residual volume
C. Decreased lung elasticity
D. Increased chest wall compliance
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Decreased lung elasticity is a normal age-related change that reduces vital
capacity (A) and increases residual volume (B). Chest wall compliance (D) decreases
with age.
10. A 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
GERONTOLOGICAL NURSING – RN EXAM LATEST
VERSION QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 2026
EDITION
GERONTOLOGICAL NURSING – RN EXAM
250 Practice Questions with Rationales
EXAM OVERVIEW
SECTION 1: NORMAL AGING PROCESS & PHYSIOLOGICAL CHANGES (Questions 1-
30)
1. A nurse is assessing an older adult client. Which of the following is a normal
physiological change associated with aging?
A. Increased cardiac output
B. Increased glomerular filtration rate
C. Decreased lung elasticity
D. Increased muscle mass
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.
Glomerular filtration rate (B) decreases with age. Muscle mass (D) decreases with age
(sarcopenia).
2. A nurse is assessing an older adult client's skin. Which of the following is a
normal age-related skin change?
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A. Increased skin turgor
B. Increased subcutaneous fat
C. Decreased skin elasticity
D. Increased sebaceous gland activity
Correct Answer: C
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 nurse is assessing an older adult client's sensory function. Which of the
following is a normal age-related change in vision?
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) decreases with age. Color discrimination (C)
decreases with age. Depth perception (D) decreases with age.
4. A nurse is assessing an older adult client's hearing. Which of the following is a
normal age-related change in hearing?
A. Presbycusis
B. Increased ability to hear high-frequency sounds
C. Increased ability to hear low-frequency sounds
D. Increased ability to hear in noisy environments
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Presbycusis (age-related hearing loss) is a normal age-related change. It
primarily affects high-frequency sounds, not low-frequency (C). The ability to hear in
noisy environments (D) decreases with age.
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5. A 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
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 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 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
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Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Decreased glomerular filtration rate is a normal age-related change that
affects drug clearance. The ability to concentrate urine (C) decreases with age. The
ability to excrete drugs (D) decreases with age.
8. A 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
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 nurse is assessing an older adult client's respiratory system. Which of the
following is a normal age-related change?
A. Increased vital capacity
B. Decreased residual volume
C. Decreased lung elasticity
D. Increased chest wall compliance
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Decreased lung elasticity is a normal age-related change that reduces vital
capacity (A) and increases residual volume (B). Chest wall compliance (D) decreases
with age.
10. A 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
