,NU 176 Geriatric Nursing Exam Prep —
Comprehensive Review + Practice
MCQs — Galen College of Nursing
2025/2026
1. Which of the following best describes the primary focus of gerontological nursing?
A. Curing all chronic illnesses in the older adult population
B. Promoting maximum independence and quality of life through comprehensive assessment and intervention
C. Providing only palliative care at the end of life
D. Focusing exclusively on the medical management of acute illnesses
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Gerontological nursing emphasizes holistic care that enhances function, prevents complications, and
optimizes well-being—not just cure. It spans health promotion, maintenance, and end-of-life care across
multiple settings .
2. The nurse is caring for an older adult admitted for pneumonia who is now experiencing acute confusion. The
nurse should first:
A. Administer a sedative
B. Restrain the client
C. Assess for underlying causes
D. Ignore the behavior
,Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Acute confusion (delirium) in older adults is often caused by reversible factors such as infection,
dehydration, medication side effects, or electrolyte imbalances. The nurse should first assess for and address
these underlying causes .
3. According to the free radical theory of aging, cellular damage is caused by:
A. Telomere shortening
B. Oxidative stress from reactive oxygen species
C. Hormonal decline
D. Genetic programming
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Free radical theory posits that aging results from oxidative stress caused by reactive oxygen species
that accumulate over time, damaging proteins, lipids, and DNA. Telomere shortening is the cellular senescence
theory .
4. The nurse is assessing a 78-year-old client who reports urinary incontinence when laughing or coughing. This
is most consistent with:
A. Urge incontinence
B. Overflow incontinence
C. Stress incontinence
D. Functional incontinence
, Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Stress incontinence is the involuntary loss of urine with increased intra-abdominal pressure, such as
laughing, coughing, or lifting. Urge incontinence involves urgency; overflow is due to bladder overdistension;
functional is inability to reach toilet .
5. Which assessment tool is specifically designed to screen for cognitive impairment in older adults and takes
about 3 minutes?
A. Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE)
B. Mini-Cog
C. Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA)
D. Clock Drawing Test alone
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The Mini-Cog combines 3-item recall and clock drawing, taking 3 minutes, and is highly sensitive for
dementia. MMSE and MoCA take longer; clock drawing alone is less sensitive .
6. The Katz Index measures independence in which type of activities?
A. Instrumental activities of daily living such as managing finances
B. Basic activities of daily living such as bathing and toileting
C. Advanced cognitive functions
D. Social participation
Comprehensive Review + Practice
MCQs — Galen College of Nursing
2025/2026
1. Which of the following best describes the primary focus of gerontological nursing?
A. Curing all chronic illnesses in the older adult population
B. Promoting maximum independence and quality of life through comprehensive assessment and intervention
C. Providing only palliative care at the end of life
D. Focusing exclusively on the medical management of acute illnesses
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Gerontological nursing emphasizes holistic care that enhances function, prevents complications, and
optimizes well-being—not just cure. It spans health promotion, maintenance, and end-of-life care across
multiple settings .
2. The nurse is caring for an older adult admitted for pneumonia who is now experiencing acute confusion. The
nurse should first:
A. Administer a sedative
B. Restrain the client
C. Assess for underlying causes
D. Ignore the behavior
,Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Acute confusion (delirium) in older adults is often caused by reversible factors such as infection,
dehydration, medication side effects, or electrolyte imbalances. The nurse should first assess for and address
these underlying causes .
3. According to the free radical theory of aging, cellular damage is caused by:
A. Telomere shortening
B. Oxidative stress from reactive oxygen species
C. Hormonal decline
D. Genetic programming
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Free radical theory posits that aging results from oxidative stress caused by reactive oxygen species
that accumulate over time, damaging proteins, lipids, and DNA. Telomere shortening is the cellular senescence
theory .
4. The nurse is assessing a 78-year-old client who reports urinary incontinence when laughing or coughing. This
is most consistent with:
A. Urge incontinence
B. Overflow incontinence
C. Stress incontinence
D. Functional incontinence
, Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Stress incontinence is the involuntary loss of urine with increased intra-abdominal pressure, such as
laughing, coughing, or lifting. Urge incontinence involves urgency; overflow is due to bladder overdistension;
functional is inability to reach toilet .
5. Which assessment tool is specifically designed to screen for cognitive impairment in older adults and takes
about 3 minutes?
A. Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE)
B. Mini-Cog
C. Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA)
D. Clock Drawing Test alone
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The Mini-Cog combines 3-item recall and clock drawing, taking 3 minutes, and is highly sensitive for
dementia. MMSE and MoCA take longer; clock drawing alone is less sensitive .
6. The Katz Index measures independence in which type of activities?
A. Instrumental activities of daily living such as managing finances
B. Basic activities of daily living such as bathing and toileting
C. Advanced cognitive functions
D. Social participation
