Chapter 15 Nursing Care of Older Adults Exam
2026/2027
Questions & Answers | Complete Exam Prep |
Gerontological Nursing Study Guide
1. The nurse is monitoring a patient's skin status. What should the nurse recognize as the first
sign of prolonged pressure on the skin?
A. Coolness
B. Cyanosis
C. Paleness
D. Redness
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Redness (erythema) is the first sign of pressure injury. It occurs due to localized
vasodilation in response to pressure. Coolness, paleness, and cyanosis indicate poor perfusion
and are later signs of tissue damage.
2. The nurse has been providing interventions to address an older patient's nutritional status.
Which observation should the nurse use to determine if nursing care has been effective?
A. Appetite
B. Skin Turgor
C. Body Weight
D. Urine output
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Body weight is the most objective and reliable indicator of nutritional status over
time. While appetite and skin turgor are important assessments, they are subjective or reflect
hydration rather than overall nutritional effectiveness.
Page | 1
,3. The nurse is concerned about medication safety for a patient with confusion. Which action
should the nurse recommend be included in the patient's plan of care to address this issue?
A. Instruct the patient to take all of the medications together
B. Have the patient set up medications for an entire week
C. Have a family member set up and administer the medications
D. Have the patient turn medication bottles upside down after taking medication
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: For a patient with confusion, the safest intervention is to have a responsible family
member or caregiver set up and administer medications to prevent errors, overdosing, or
underdosing. The patient lacks the cognitive capacity to safely manage their own medications.
4. The nurse is caring for a patient with Alzheimer's disease. Which environment should the
nurse provide to decrease the patient's symptoms?
A. A variety of sensory experiences
B. An environment that varies weekly
C. A physically challenging environment
D. A familiar, non-stimulating environment
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Patients with Alzheimer's disease experience cognitive decline and often become
easily overwhelmed by stimuli. A familiar, non-stimulating, and structured environment helps
reduce confusion, agitation, and anxiety.
5. The nurse is collecting data for an older patient. Which characteristic should the nurse
identify in a patient with an age-related loss of water in the vertebral discs?
A. Spinal flexion
B. Decreased height
C. Increased spinal flexibility
D. Protruding bony prominences
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Age-related dehydration of the vertebral discs leads to thinning of the discs, which
causes the vertebrae to settle closer together. This results in a loss of height (often 1-2 inches)
and can contribute to kyphosis, but decreased height is the direct result of disc thinning.
6. An older adult patient is at risk for falls. Which age-related change contributes most
significantly to this risk?
A. Increased bone density
B. Decreased reaction time
C. Thickening of the epidermis
D. Increased proprioception
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, Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Decreased reaction time, along with decreased muscle strength, joint stiffness, and
sensory deficits, significantly increases the risk of falls in older adults.
7. The nurse is assessing an older adult for dehydration. Which finding is most indicative of
dehydration in this population?
A. Dry mucous membranes
B. Tenting of the skin
C. Concentrated urine
D. Tachycardia
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Older adults often have decreased thirst sensation and altered skin turgor due to loss
of elasticity (making tenting an unreliable sign). Concentrated, dark urine and changes in mental
status are often the most reliable early indicators of dehydration in the elderly.
8. Which theory of aging suggests that aging is due to the cumulative effects of random
damage to cells over time?
A. Genetic theory
B. Immunity theory
C. Cross-linkage theory
D. Wear-and-tear theory
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The wear-and-tear theory proposes that cells and tissues simply wear out over time
due to repeated use and damage.
9. The nurse is educating an older adult about preventing constipation. Which instruction is
most appropriate?
A. "Decrease your physical activity to rest your bowels."
B. "Limit your fluid intake to prevent nighttime urination."
C. "Increase your intake of high-fiber foods and fluids."
D. "Use laxatives daily to ensure regular bowel movements."
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Age-related decreases in gastrointestinal motility make older adults prone to
constipation. Increasing fiber and fluid intake, along with regular activity, is the safest and most
effective first-line prevention strategy.
Page | 3
2026/2027
Questions & Answers | Complete Exam Prep |
Gerontological Nursing Study Guide
1. The nurse is monitoring a patient's skin status. What should the nurse recognize as the first
sign of prolonged pressure on the skin?
A. Coolness
B. Cyanosis
C. Paleness
D. Redness
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Redness (erythema) is the first sign of pressure injury. It occurs due to localized
vasodilation in response to pressure. Coolness, paleness, and cyanosis indicate poor perfusion
and are later signs of tissue damage.
2. The nurse has been providing interventions to address an older patient's nutritional status.
Which observation should the nurse use to determine if nursing care has been effective?
A. Appetite
B. Skin Turgor
C. Body Weight
D. Urine output
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Body weight is the most objective and reliable indicator of nutritional status over
time. While appetite and skin turgor are important assessments, they are subjective or reflect
hydration rather than overall nutritional effectiveness.
Page | 1
,3. The nurse is concerned about medication safety for a patient with confusion. Which action
should the nurse recommend be included in the patient's plan of care to address this issue?
A. Instruct the patient to take all of the medications together
B. Have the patient set up medications for an entire week
C. Have a family member set up and administer the medications
D. Have the patient turn medication bottles upside down after taking medication
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: For a patient with confusion, the safest intervention is to have a responsible family
member or caregiver set up and administer medications to prevent errors, overdosing, or
underdosing. The patient lacks the cognitive capacity to safely manage their own medications.
4. The nurse is caring for a patient with Alzheimer's disease. Which environment should the
nurse provide to decrease the patient's symptoms?
A. A variety of sensory experiences
B. An environment that varies weekly
C. A physically challenging environment
D. A familiar, non-stimulating environment
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Patients with Alzheimer's disease experience cognitive decline and often become
easily overwhelmed by stimuli. A familiar, non-stimulating, and structured environment helps
reduce confusion, agitation, and anxiety.
5. The nurse is collecting data for an older patient. Which characteristic should the nurse
identify in a patient with an age-related loss of water in the vertebral discs?
A. Spinal flexion
B. Decreased height
C. Increased spinal flexibility
D. Protruding bony prominences
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Age-related dehydration of the vertebral discs leads to thinning of the discs, which
causes the vertebrae to settle closer together. This results in a loss of height (often 1-2 inches)
and can contribute to kyphosis, but decreased height is the direct result of disc thinning.
6. An older adult patient is at risk for falls. Which age-related change contributes most
significantly to this risk?
A. Increased bone density
B. Decreased reaction time
C. Thickening of the epidermis
D. Increased proprioception
Page | 2
, Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Decreased reaction time, along with decreased muscle strength, joint stiffness, and
sensory deficits, significantly increases the risk of falls in older adults.
7. The nurse is assessing an older adult for dehydration. Which finding is most indicative of
dehydration in this population?
A. Dry mucous membranes
B. Tenting of the skin
C. Concentrated urine
D. Tachycardia
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Older adults often have decreased thirst sensation and altered skin turgor due to loss
of elasticity (making tenting an unreliable sign). Concentrated, dark urine and changes in mental
status are often the most reliable early indicators of dehydration in the elderly.
8. Which theory of aging suggests that aging is due to the cumulative effects of random
damage to cells over time?
A. Genetic theory
B. Immunity theory
C. Cross-linkage theory
D. Wear-and-tear theory
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The wear-and-tear theory proposes that cells and tissues simply wear out over time
due to repeated use and damage.
9. The nurse is educating an older adult about preventing constipation. Which instruction is
most appropriate?
A. "Decrease your physical activity to rest your bowels."
B. "Limit your fluid intake to prevent nighttime urination."
C. "Increase your intake of high-fiber foods and fluids."
D. "Use laxatives daily to ensure regular bowel movements."
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Age-related decreases in gastrointestinal motility make older adults prone to
constipation. Increasing fiber and fluid intake, along with regular activity, is the safest and most
effective first-line prevention strategy.
Page | 3
