,NU 176 Exam 4 | Geriatric Nursing (2026/2027)
PDF | Nursing | Galen College
1. A terminally ill patient with a prognosis of 5 months is admitted for symptom
management. The nurse identifies that this patient would benefit most from
which service?
A) Palliative care only, since curative treatments must stop
B) Hospice care, focusing on comfort and quality of life
C) Aggressive chemotherapy to prolong life at any cost
D) Transfer to an intensive care unit for monitoring
Correct Answer: B) Hospice care, focusing on comfort and quality of life
Rationale: Hospice is appropriate for patients with a life expectancy of six
months or less who choose comfort-focused care. It emphasizes symptom
management and quality of life rather than curative treatments. Palliative care
can be concurrent with disease-modifying therapy.
2. A nurse is assessing an older adult's functional status. Which of the following
is the most appropriate tool to assess activities of daily living (ADLs)?
A) Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE)
B) Katz Index of Independence in Activities of Daily Living
C) Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS)
D) Lawton Instrumental Activities of Daily Living Scale
Correct Answer: B) Katz Index of Independence in Activities of Daily Living
,Rationale: The Katz Index measures basic activities of daily living (ADLs),
including bathing, dressing, toileting, transferring, continence, and feeding. The
Lawton Scale measures instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs), which are
more complex tasks such as cooking, cleaning, and managing finances.
3. According to Erikson's developmental theory, what is the primary
psychosocial task of late adulthood?
A) Generativity versus stagnation
B) Integrity versus despair
C) Identity versus role confusion
D) Intimacy versus isolation
Correct Answer: B) Integrity versus despair
Rationale: Erikson's final stage of development, integrity versus despair,
involves older adults reflecting on their lives and either achieving a sense of
fulfillment or experiencing regret. Generativity versus stagnation is the middle
adult stage.
4. An older adult with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is most likely to
report:
A) Painful urination and fever
B) Difficulty starting urine stream and nocturia
C) Loss of bladder control during exercise
D) Sudden flank pain
Correct Answer: B) Difficulty starting urine stream and nocturia
, Rationale: BPH causes urinary hesitancy, weak stream, dribbling, and nocturia
due to urethral compression. Pain and fever suggest infection; stress
incontinence is associated with pelvic floor weakness; sudden flank pain
suggests renal stones.
5. The nurse anticipates that a postoperative patient may develop atelectasis
and plans interventions to prevent it. This is an example of which of the 3 T's of
clinical judgment?
A) Think in-action
B) Think back
C) Think ahead
D) Think abstractly
Correct Answer: C) Think ahead
Rationale: "Think ahead" involves anticipating potential complications and
planning interventions to prevent them. This is a key component of clinical
judgment in geriatric nursing.
6. A nurse is assessing an older adult's cognitive function. Which of the
following is the most widely used screening tool for cognitive impairment?
A) Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS)
B) Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE)
C) Confusion Assessment Method (CAM)
D) Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA)
PDF | Nursing | Galen College
1. A terminally ill patient with a prognosis of 5 months is admitted for symptom
management. The nurse identifies that this patient would benefit most from
which service?
A) Palliative care only, since curative treatments must stop
B) Hospice care, focusing on comfort and quality of life
C) Aggressive chemotherapy to prolong life at any cost
D) Transfer to an intensive care unit for monitoring
Correct Answer: B) Hospice care, focusing on comfort and quality of life
Rationale: Hospice is appropriate for patients with a life expectancy of six
months or less who choose comfort-focused care. It emphasizes symptom
management and quality of life rather than curative treatments. Palliative care
can be concurrent with disease-modifying therapy.
2. A nurse is assessing an older adult's functional status. Which of the following
is the most appropriate tool to assess activities of daily living (ADLs)?
A) Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE)
B) Katz Index of Independence in Activities of Daily Living
C) Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS)
D) Lawton Instrumental Activities of Daily Living Scale
Correct Answer: B) Katz Index of Independence in Activities of Daily Living
,Rationale: The Katz Index measures basic activities of daily living (ADLs),
including bathing, dressing, toileting, transferring, continence, and feeding. The
Lawton Scale measures instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs), which are
more complex tasks such as cooking, cleaning, and managing finances.
3. According to Erikson's developmental theory, what is the primary
psychosocial task of late adulthood?
A) Generativity versus stagnation
B) Integrity versus despair
C) Identity versus role confusion
D) Intimacy versus isolation
Correct Answer: B) Integrity versus despair
Rationale: Erikson's final stage of development, integrity versus despair,
involves older adults reflecting on their lives and either achieving a sense of
fulfillment or experiencing regret. Generativity versus stagnation is the middle
adult stage.
4. An older adult with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is most likely to
report:
A) Painful urination and fever
B) Difficulty starting urine stream and nocturia
C) Loss of bladder control during exercise
D) Sudden flank pain
Correct Answer: B) Difficulty starting urine stream and nocturia
, Rationale: BPH causes urinary hesitancy, weak stream, dribbling, and nocturia
due to urethral compression. Pain and fever suggest infection; stress
incontinence is associated with pelvic floor weakness; sudden flank pain
suggests renal stones.
5. The nurse anticipates that a postoperative patient may develop atelectasis
and plans interventions to prevent it. This is an example of which of the 3 T's of
clinical judgment?
A) Think in-action
B) Think back
C) Think ahead
D) Think abstractly
Correct Answer: C) Think ahead
Rationale: "Think ahead" involves anticipating potential complications and
planning interventions to prevent them. This is a key component of clinical
judgment in geriatric nursing.
6. A nurse is assessing an older adult's cognitive function. Which of the
following is the most widely used screening tool for cognitive impairment?
A) Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS)
B) Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE)
C) Confusion Assessment Method (CAM)
D) Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA)
