Prepare for gerontological nursing examinations with a detailed study resource focused on the principles, clinical concepts, and nursing practices involved in caring for older adults. Based on the subject areas covered in Ebersole and Hess’ Gerontological Nursing & Healthy Aging, 7th Edition, this resource supports revision of age-related physiological changes, comprehensive assessment, common health conditions, healthy aging, nursing interventions, and the promotion of independence and quality of life.
Designed for nursing students and learners preparing for gerontology-related assessments, this resource helps reinforce essential knowledge, strengthen clinical reasoning, and improve understanding of the unique physical, psychological, social, and functional needs of older adults.
Comprehensive Chapter and Topic Coverage
Part 1: Foundations of Gerontological Nursing
Introduction to gerontological nursing and the aging population
Demographic trends and the implications of population aging
Historical development of gerontological nursing
Theories of biological, psychological, and social aging
Ageism, stereotypes, and attitudes toward older adults
Ethical principles and professional responsibilities in elder care
Healthy aging, wellness, and quality of life
The nurse’s role in promoting dignity, autonomy, and person-centered care
Part 2: Theories and Processes of Aging
Biological changes associated with aging
Psychological and sociological perspectives on aging
Normal aging compared with pathological changes
Genetics, lifestyle, environment, and longevity
Resilience, adaptation, and successful aging
Individual differences in the aging process
Myths and misconceptions about older adults
Implications of aging theories for nursing practice
Part 3: Comprehensive Assessment of Older Adults
Health history and physical examination
Functional assessment and activities of daily living
Instrumental activities of daily living
Cognitive, emotional, and psychosocial assessment
Nutritional screening and hydration assessment
Medication history and reconciliation
Pain assessment in older adults
Assessment of mobility, balance, and fall risk
Identification of frailty and changes in functional status
Communication techniques for comprehensive assessment
Part 4: Health Promotion and Disease Prevention
Preventive healthcare and routine screening
Immunization and infection prevention
Exercise, mobility, and physical activity
Nutrition and healthy dietary patterns
Sleep hygiene and rest
Oral health and dental care
Vision and hearing screening
Prevention of falls, injuries, and avoidable disability
Health education and behavior change
Promotion of independence and healthy lifestyles
Part 5: Physiological Changes and Common Health Problems
Age-related changes in body systems
Cardiovascular function and common cardiovascular disorders
Respiratory changes and respiratory conditions
Gastrointestinal function and digestive disorders
Renal and urinary changes
Endocrine and metabolic disorders
Musculoskeletal changes, arthritis, and osteoporosis
Neurological changes and neurological conditions
Skin integrity, wound healing, and pressure injuries
Sensory changes involving vision, hearing, taste, and touch
Implications of physiological changes for nursing assessment and care
Part 6: Chronic Illness and Multimorbidity
Common chronic conditions among older adults
Management of multiple coexisting conditions
Effects of chronic illness on daily functioning
Individualized care planning and goal setting
Symptom management and monitoring
Self-management education and patient participation
Prevention of complications and avoidable hospitalization
Coordination of care across healthcare settings
Supporting adaptation to long-term health changes
Part 7: Medication Management and Pharmacology
Age-related changes affecting drug absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion
Polypharmacy and medication burden
Adverse drug reactions and medication interactions
Potentially inappropriate medication use
Medication reconciliation and safe administration
Adherence challenges and patient education
Medication management in people with cognitive or functional limitations
Strategies for reducing medication-related harm
Collaboration with pharmacists and other healthcare professionals
Part 8: Cognitive Health and Neurocognitive Disorders
Normal cognitive aging
Assessment of memory, orientation, and cognitive function
Delirium and its common contributing factors
Dementia and major neurocognitive disorders
Alzheimer’s disease and other causes of cognitive impairment
Communication with people experiencing cognitive changes
Person-centered dementia care
Behavioral and psychological symptoms
Safety, supervision, and environmental adaptation
Family education and caregiver support
Part 9: Mental Health and Emotional Well-Being
Depression and anxiety in older adults
Recognition of mental health concerns
Social isolation and loneliness
Grief, bereavement, and adjustment to loss
Coping with disability and chronic illness
Substance use and medication misuse
Suicide risk awareness and appropriate assessment
Therapeutic communication and emotional support
Referral, treatment coordination, and psychosocial interventions
Part 10: Mobility, Falls, and Functional Independence
Age-related changes in strength, balance, and coordination
Fall risk assessment and prevention
Safe transfers, positioning, and ambulation
Assistive devices and mobility aids
Osteoporosis, fractures, and rehabilitation
Deconditioning and the effects of immobility
Prevention of pressure injuries and contractures
Promotion of independence in activities of daily living
Environmental modifications for safer mobility
Rehabilitation and functional recovery
Part 11: Nutrition, Hydration, and Elimination
Nutritional requirements in later life
Malnutrition and unintentional weight loss
Dehydration and fluid balance
Dysphagia and aspiration risk
Oral health and its relationship to nutrition
Constipation and bowel management
Urinary incontinence and retention
Toileting assistance and maintenance of dignity
Nutritional screening and individualized interventions
Patient and caregiver education
Part 12: Skin Integrity, Wound Care, and Infection Prevention
Age-related changes in skin structure and function
Risk factors for skin breakdown
Pressure injury prevention and assessment
Wound healing and wound care principles
Prevention of moisture-associated skin damage
Infection risks in older adults
Atypical presentations of infection
Hygiene, personal care, and skin protection
Monitoring for complications and evaluating treatment response
Part 13: Sensory Impairment and Communication
Presbyopia and other age-related visual changes
Hearing impairment and communication barriers
Assessment of sensory function
Adaptation of healthcare environments
Communication strategies for people with sensory loss
Assistive devices and environmental supports
Prevention of injury associated with sensory impairment
Maintaining social participation and independence
Part 14: Sleep, Rest, and Comfort
Changes in sleep patterns with aging
Common sleep disturbances
Pain assessment and pain management
Nonpharmacological comfort interventions
Sleep hygiene and environmental modifications
Effects of pain and poor sleep on function and mood
Evaluation of interventions and patient outcomes
Part 15: Psychosocial Needs, Relationships, and Sexuality
Family relationships and social support
Changing social roles after retirement
Intimacy, sexuality, and sexual health in later life
Cultural beliefs and personal values
Spirituality and meaning in aging
Maintaining purpose, participation, and social connection
Respect for privacy, identity, and personal preferences
Supporting emotional adjustment to life transitions
Part 16: Elder Abuse, Neglect, and Vulnerability
Physical, emotional, sexual, and financial abuse
Neglect and self-neglect
Risk factors and warning signs
Assessment and sensitive communication
Protection of vulnerable older adults
Professional responsibilities and reporting procedures
Ethical and legal considerations
Prevention strategies and multidisciplinary support
Part 17: Care Settings and Models of Gerontological Care
Home-based care and community health services
Acute care and hospital-based nursing
Long-term care and residential facilities
Rehabilitation and transitional care
Palliative and hospice services
Continuity of care and discharge planning
Interprofessional collaboration
Person-centered approaches and care coordination
Family involvement in care decisions
Supporting safe transitions between healthcare settings
Part 18: Family Caregiving and Caregiver Support
Roles and responsibilities of informal caregivers
Caregiver burden and stress
Assessment of caregiver capacity and needs
Caregiver education and practical skills
Respite services and community resources
Communication among patients, families, and care teams
Supporting caregivers of people with dementia
Shared decision-making and family-centered care
Part 19: Palliative Care, End-of-Life Care, and Grief
Principles of palliative care
Symptom relief and comfort-focused care
Pain, breathlessness, and other distressing symptoms
Advance care planning and advance directives
Patient preferences and goals of care
Ethical decision-making at the end of life
Communication with patients and families
Cultural and spiritual considerations
Bereavement support and grief responses
Maintaining dignity and compassionate care
Part 20: Leadership, Ethics, and Quality Improvement
Ethical decision-making in gerontological nursing
Autonomy, beneficence, nonmaleficence, and justice
Informed consent and decision-making capacity
Confidentiality and protection of patient information
Advocacy for older adults
Nursing documentation and care planning
Evidence-based gerontological practice
Patient safety and quality improvement
Interprofessional communication and collaboration
Evaluation of nursing interventions and patient outcomes
Key Topics Covered at a Glance
Theories and processes of aging
Comprehensive gerontological assessment
Healthy aging and health promotion
Age-related physiological changes
Chronic illness and multimorbidity
Medication safety and polypharmacy
Dementia, delirium, and cognitive impairment
Depression, anxiety, grief, and social isolation
Fall prevention, mobility, and functional independence
Nutrition, hydration, and elimination
Skin integrity, wound care, and infection prevention
Sensory impairment and communication
Elder abuse, neglect, and patient advocacy
Family caregiving and caregiver support
Long-term care, rehabilitation, and transitional care
Palliative care and end-of-life nursing
Ethical practice, leadership, and quality improvement
Content preview
,Chapter 1: Aging and Wellness in a Global Community
PART I: MULTIPLE CHOICE (Questions 1–60)
Question 1: What is the primary focus of gerontological nursing?
A) Promoting health and wellness in older adults across the lifespan
B) Treating acute illness in hospitalized elders
C) Managing only chronic disease in older adults
D) Providing care only at end of life
ANS: A
Rationale: Gerontological nursing focuses on promoting health and wellness in older adults, emphasizing
healthy aging rather than only disease management.
Question 2: What is healthy aging?
A) The process of developing and maintaining functional ability that enables well-being in older age
B) The absence of all chronic disease
C) The ability to live independently without any assistance
D) The complete reversal of aging processes
ANS: A
Rationale: Healthy aging is the process of developing and maintaining functional ability that enables
well-being in older age.
Question 3: What is the World Health Organization's definition of healthy aging?
A) The process of developing and maintaining the functional ability that enables well-being in older age
B) The absence of disease in older adults
C) The ability to live beyond 100 years
D) The ability to avoid all age-related changes
ANS: A
Rationale: The WHO defines healthy aging as the process of developing and maintaining the functional
ability that enables well-being in older age.
Question 4: What is functional ability?
A) The health-related attributes that enable people to be and to do what they have reason to value
B) The ability to perform all activities without assistance
C) The absence of any disability
D) The ability to live independently
,ANS: A
Rationale: Functional ability refers to the health-related attributes that enable people to be and to do
what they have reason to value.
Question 5: What are the five domains of functional ability according to the WHO?
A) Mobility, cognition, relationships, sensory, and psychological
B) Strength, endurance, flexibility, balance, and coordination
C) Vision, hearing, taste, touch, and smell
D) Physical, emotional, social, spiritual, and financial
ANS: A
Rationale: The WHO identifies five domains of functional ability: mobility, cognition, relationships,
sensory, and psychological.
Question 6: What is the demographic transition?
A) The shift from high birth and death rates to low birth and death rates
B) The movement of people from rural to urban areas
C) The increase in immigration rates
D) The decrease in life expectancy
ANS: A
Rationale: The demographic transition is the shift from high birth and death rates to low birth and death
rates, resulting in an aging population.
Question 7: What is the global trend in population aging?
A) The proportion of older adults is increasing worldwide
B) The proportion of older adults is decreasing worldwide
C) The proportion of older adults is stable worldwide
D) The proportion of older adults is increasing only in developed countries
ANS: A
Rationale: Population aging is a global trend, with the proportion of older adults increasing worldwide.
Question 8: What is the fastest-growing age group globally?
A) Adults aged 80 years and older
B) Adults aged 65–79 years
C) Adults aged 50–64 years
D) Children under 5 years
, ANS: A
Rationale: Adults aged 80 years and older are the fastest-growing age group globally.
Question 9: What is the difference between life expectancy and healthy life expectancy?
A) Life expectancy is total years lived; healthy life expectancy is years lived in good health
B) Life expectancy is years lived in good health; healthy life expectancy is total years lived
C) They are the same thing
D) Life expectancy is only for developed countries
ANS: A
Rationale: Life expectancy is the total number of years lived; healthy life expectancy is the number of
years lived in good health.
Question 10: What is the compression of morbidity?
A) The idea that disease and disability are compressed into a shorter period at the end of life
B) The idea that disease and disability increase with age
C) The idea that disease and disability are eliminated in older adults
D) The idea that disease and disability are the same across all ages
ANS: A
Rationale: Compression of morbidity is the idea that disease and disability can be compressed into a
shorter period at the end of life through healthy lifestyle choices.
Question 11: What is the role of the gerontological nurse?
A) To promote health and wellness, prevent disease, and manage chronic conditions in older adults
B) To provide only acute care to older adults
C) To provide only end-of-life care
D) To provide care only in nursing homes
ANS: A
Rationale: The gerontological nurse promotes health and wellness, prevents disease, and manages
chronic conditions in older adults.
Question 12: What is person-centered care?
A) Care that is respectful of and responsive to individual patient preferences, needs, and values
B) Care that is standardized for all patients
C) Care that is based only on medical diagnosis
D) Care that is provided only by physicians