NRNP 6540 RaymondYoung Week 1 Assessment of Older Adults Example
Assessment of Older Adults
Advancement of age is associated with many chronic health issues that affect the quality of life. Elderly patients form a
unique subset of the patient population that many advanced practice nurse practitioners (APNP) will interact with in their
practice for evaluation and treatment. Some of the chronic conditions associated with advancing age include dementia,
osteoporosis, and other forms of cognitive impairment.
It is the mandate of the health care providers to ensure that elderly patients have a full functional ability to care for
themselves fully. To elicit problems facing elderly patients, comprehensive history taking, physical examination, and mental
state examination are necessary. Several assessment tools for their health conditions and functioning are available; hence,
APNPs should appropriately use those that can be of help in evaluating the patients they meet.
Assessment Tools
In this case, Mr. W is a 92-year-old retired college professor living at home with his wife in an upscale suburban
neighborhood that offers little public transport. Her wife prefers him to drive despite her ability to operate a motor vehicle.
Mr. W’s medical history includes obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), hypertension managed with lifestyle modification, chronic
anemia, osteoporosis, edema, history of prostate cancer, and edema. However, he can carry out his activities of daily living
appropriately.
He reports presenting to his geriatrician 8 years ago and reported forgetfulness when he lost his way while driving to a
family museum. He has a history of difficulty in recalling his personal art collection and has experienced falls. In 2009, he
reported troublesome memory loss that made his driving more difficult, although there were no reported unsafe practices.
His geriatrician diagnosed him with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) secondary to early onset Alzheimer’s disease with
recommendations of assessment at a driving evaluation clinic.
In developing an evaluation plan for the patient, it is important to note that the history of falls and confusion indicating
underlying immobility, cognitive dysfunction, and sensory deprivation may require adequate attention. From the history, only
hypertension is being managed and his only medication is vitamin B12. There is a need for the patient to be on iron
supplements to manage the anemia as well as restless leg syndrome (Trotti & Becker, 2019), as well as bisphosphonates,
which will manage his osteoporosis and reduce the risk of falls (Reid & Billington, 2022). The edema would be suggesting
a cardiac issue such as heart failure and being that he is hypertensive, it is crucial to evaluate the cardiovascular system
comprehensively.
There are many assessment tools for the patient. As stated by Arevalo-Rodriguez et al. (2021), the mini-mental state
examination (MMSE) is a brief neuropsychological test that is used in evaluating for cognitive function in the setting of
individuals with symptoms of cognitive dysfunction. Patients who have mild cognitive impairment, like Mr. W, should be
evaluated and monitored as they have a high risk of progressing into dementia.
As outlined in the history, the patient underwent two MMSE evaluations, for which, in the first presentation, he scored 30/30
and in the second assessment, 29/30. The MMSE is a 30-question assessment of cognitive function that is based on
attention, orientation, memory, registration, recall, calculation, language, and the ability to draw a complex polygon. The
MMSE is appropriate for this patient, with no ethical issues being involved. Since he is still driving, there are assessment
tools that can be used to measure his driving competency.
According to Toups et al. (2022), driving is a complex work that requires learned skills and coordination of complex
cognitive and physical tasks. On-road evaluations such as performance-based road tests and driving simulation studies
can be used to identify and remediate poor driving behaviors to prevent adverse outcomes (Toups et al., 2022). Again, the
MMSE can be a psychometric evaluation test that can be used to evaluate driving competency as it evaluates cognitive
functioning, which is applied in driving.
The comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) is a multidisciplinary instrument that can be used in elderly patients with a
risk of falling (Appeadu & Bordoni, 2023). The instrument uses scales such as the Berg Balance Scale to evaluate static
and dynamic balance, the Falls Efficacy Scale to assess the fear of falling, and the Timed Up and Go Test to assess a
patient’s mobility. Other assessment tools for fall risk among elderly patients include the Tinetti Gait and Balance
Assessment Tool and the one-legged and tandem stance assessments (Appeadu & Bordoni, 2023).
Issues Affecting Assessments
A number of geriatric patients have problems with memory, concentrating, learning, or making decisions that impact their
daily lives because of their age (Khanna & Metgud, 2020). When evaluating such patients, there should be more effort
during evaluation to obtain adequate information, especially during history taking because of their cognitive impairment that
may disturb their memory. Their level of education may impact their assessment as well as the language being used.
Therefore, as an advanced nurse practitioner, there should be a demonstration of cultural competency when evaluating
adults, as most tend to incline their thoughts and symptoms to culture.
,Immunization Requirements
At a personal level, life course vaccination programs substantially contribute to lowering the burden of infectious disease,
decreasing mortality, and mitigating infection-related mortality (Michel & Frangos, 2022). Similarly, with the implementation
of more vaccination programs in countries like the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia, the incidence of
morbidity and mortality of infectious diseases has drastically decreased by over 90%. Vaccines are of the essence in the
elderly population. It has been documented that tetanus, polio, and flu vaccines may play a role in preventing the onset of
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) (Michel & Frangos, 2022). It will be important to ensure the patient receives his annual flu vaccine
to ensure he does not contract influenza or pneumococcal pneumonia. According to Michel and Frangos (2022), patients
aged above 65 years should receive tetanus, polio, and flu vaccines.
NRNP 6540 RaymondYoung Week 1 Assessment of Older Adults References
Appeadu, M., & Bordoni, B. (2023, June 4). Falls and Fall Prevention in the Elderly. PubMed; StatPearls Publishing.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK560761/
Arevalo-Rodriguez, I., Smailagic, N., Roqué-Figuls, M., Ciapponi, A., Sanchez-Perez, E., Giannakou, A., Pedraza, O. L.,
Bonfill Cosp, X., & Cullum, S. (2021). Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) for the Early Detection of Dementia in
People with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI). Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2021(7).
https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.cd010783.pub3
Khanna, A., & Metgud, C. (2020). Prevalence of cognitive impairment in elderly population residing in an urban area of
Belagavi. Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care, 9(6), 2699. https://doi.org/10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_240_20
Michel, J.-P., & Frangos, E. (2022). The Implications of Vaccines in Older Populations. Vaccines, 10(3), 431.
https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines10030431
Reid, I. R., & Billington, E. O. (2022). Drug therapy for osteoporosis in older adults. The Lancet, 399(10329), 1080–1092.
https://doi.org/10.1016/s0140-6736(21)02646-5
Toups, R., Chirles, T. J., Ehsani, J. P., Michael, J. P., Bernstein, J. P. K., Calamia, M., Parsons, T. D., Carr, D. B., & Keller,
J. N. (2022). Driving Performance in Older Adults: Current Measures, Findings, and Implications for Roadway Safety.
Innovation in Aging, 6(1), igab051. https://doi.org/10.1093/geroni/igab051
Trotti, L. M., & Becker, L. A. (2019). Iron for the treatment of restless legs syndrome. Cochrane Database of Systematic
Reviews. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.cd007834.pub3
NRNP 6540 RaymondYoung Week 1 Assessment of Older Adults
Instructions
As patients age, they are more likely to develop health issues. While some of these health issues are normal changes due
to aging, some of them are abnormal and require further evaluation. Consider a 92-year-old patient who has been
diagnosed with several disorders, including obstructive sleep apnea, hypertension, mild chronic anemia, restless leg
syndrome, and osteoporosis. Despite these disorders, he can independently perform all basic activities of daily living, walk
a quarter mile without difficulty, and pass functional and cognitive assessments. However, he did report that he fell a few
times and had lost his way while driving to a familiar location (Carr & Ott, 2010).
As an advanced practice nurse caring for geriatric patients, you will likely encounter patients like this. While he can pass the
basic assessments, the report of falls and confusion might indicate underlying issues of immobility, sensory deprivation,
and/or cognitive dysfunction that require further attention. To identify these potential underlying issues and distinguish
between normal and abnormal changes due to aging, healthcare providers use a variety of assessments. These
assessments are a key tool in the care of geriatric patients.
This week, you examine assessment tools and evaluation plans used to assess geriatric patients presenting with potential
issues of immobility, sensory deprivation, and cognitive dysfunction.
Reference:
Carr, D. B., & Ott, B. R. (2010). The older adult driver with cognitive impairment: “It’s a very frustrating life.” Journal of the
American Medical Association, 303(16), 1632–1641. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2915446/
NRNP 6540 RaymondYoung Week 1 Assessment of Older Adults Learning Objectives
Students will:
Analyze assessment tools used to assess older adults
Design evaluation plans for patients with immobility, sensory deprivation, and/or cognitive dysfunction
Identify immunization requirements related to health promotion and disease prevention for older adults
,Also Read: NRNP 6540 Week 9 Assignment
Learning Resources
Required Readings (click to expand/reduce)
Kennedy-Malone, L., Martin-Plank, L., & Duffy, E. (2019). Changes with aging. In Advanced practice nursing in the care of
older adults (2nd ed., pp. 2–5). F. A. Davis.
Kennedy-Malone, L., Martin-Plank, L., & Duffy, E. (2019). Health promotion. In Advanced practice nursing in the care of
older adults (2nd ed., pp. 6–18). F. A. Davis.
Kennedy-Malone, L., Martin-Plank, L., & Duffy, E. (2019). Exercise in older adults. In Advanced practice nursing in the care
of older adults (2nd ed., pp. 19–24). F. A. Davis.
Kennedy-Malone, L., Martin-Plank, L., & Duffy, E. (2019). Comprehensive geriatric assessment. In Advanced practice
nursing in the care of older adults (2nd ed., pp. 26–33). F. A. Davis.
Kennedy-Malone, L., Martin-Plank, L., & Duffy, E. (2019). Symptoms and syndromes. In Advanced practice nursing in the
care of older adults (2nd ed., pp. 34–94). F. A. Davis.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2020). Recommended adult immunization schedule for ages 19 years or
older. https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/schedules/downloads/adult/adult-combined-schedule.pdf
Coll, P. P., Costello, V. W., Kuchel, G. A., Bartley, J., & McElhaney, J. E. (2019). The prevention of infections in older adults:
Vaccination. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 68(1), 207–214. https://doi.org/10.1111/jgs.16205
Hartford Institute for Geriatric Nursing. (2020). General assessment series. In Try This: Series. Author.
https://consultgeri.org/try-this/general-assessment
U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. (n.d.). Information for health professionals. Retrieved June 8, 2020 from
https://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/uspstf/information-health-professionals
U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. (2019). Appendix III. USPSTF LitWatch process.
https://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/uspstf/procedure-manual-appendix-iii-uspstf-litwatch-process
Recommended Reading (click to expand/reduce)
Goldberg, C. (2019). Role of physical exam, general observation, skin screening and vital signs.
https://meded.ucsd.edu/clinicalmed/assets/docs/Vital%20Signs%20and%20Introduction%20to%20the%20Exam.pdf
Recommended Media (click to expand/reduce)
Engage-IL (Producer). (2017m). Geriatric health promotion and disease prevention [Video].
https://engageil.com/modules/geriatric-health-promotion-and-disease-prevention/
Note: View the Geriatric Health Promotion and Disease Prevention video module available in this free course. If
you choose to view the Engage-IL media, you will need to create a free account at the Engage-IL website.
Engage-IL (Producer). (2017w). The process of aging [Video]. https://engageil.com/modules/the-process-of-aging/
Note: View the Process of Aging video module available in this free course.
Discussion: Evaluation Plan
As geriatric patients age, their health and functional stability may decline resulting in the inability to perform basic activities
of daily living. In your role as a nurse practitioner, you must assess whether the needs of these aging patients are being
met. Comprehensive geriatric assessments are used to determine whether these patients have developed or are at risk of
developing age-related changes that interfere with their functional status. Since the health status and living situation of older
adult patients often differ, there are a variety of assessment tools that can be used to evaluate wellness and functional
ability. For this Discussion, you will consider which assessment tools would be appropriate for a patient in a case scenario.
Photo Credit: LIGHTFIELD STUDIOS / Adobe Stock
To prepare:
Review this week’s Learning Resources, considering how assessment tools are used to evaluate patients.
Your Instructor will assign a case study to use for this Discussion. Review the case study and, based on the provided
, information, think about a possible patient evaluation plan. As part of your evaluation planning, consider where the
evaluation would take place, whether any other professionals or family members should be present, appropriate
assessment tools and guidelines, and any other relevant information you may wish to address.
Consider whether the assessment tool you identified was validated for use with this specific patient population and if
this poses issues. Think about additional factors that might present issues when performing assessments such as
language, education, prosthetics, missing limbs, etc.
Consider immunization requirements that may be needed for this patient.
By Day 3
Post an explanation of your evaluation plan for the patient in the case study provided, and explain which type of assessment
tool you might use for the patient. Explain whether the assessment tool was validated for use with this patient’s specific
patient population and whether this poses issues. Include additional factors that might present issues when performing
assessments, such as language, education, prosthetics, etc. Also explain the immunization requirements related to health
promotion and disease prevention for the patient.
Read a selection of your colleagues’ responses.
By Day 6
Respond to at least two of your colleagues on two different days in one or more of the following ways:
Suggest alternative assessment tools and explain why these tools might be appropriate for your colleagues’ patients.
Recommend strategies for mitigating issues related to use of the assessment tools your colleagues discussed.
Explain other health promotion considerations for patients in this population or with related issues.
Note: For this Discussion, you are required to complete your initial post before you will be able to view and respond to your
colleagues’ postings. Begin by clicking on the Post to Discussion Question link, and then select Create Thread to
complete your initial post. Remember, once you click on Submit, you cannot delete or edit your own posts, and you cannot
post anonymously. Please check your post carefully before clicking on Submit!
NRNP 6540 RaymondYoung Week 1 Assessment of Older Adults Rubric Detail
Select Grid View or List View to change the rubric’s layout.
Name: NRNP_6540_Week1_Discussion_Rubric
Grid View
List View
Excellent
Point range: 90–100 Good
Point range: 80–89 Fair
Point range: 70–79 Poor
Point range: 0–69
Main Posting:
Response to the discussion question is reflective with critical analysis and synthesis representative of knowledge gained
from the course readings for the module and current credible sources.
40 (40%) – 44 (44%)
Thoroughly responds to the discussion question(s).
Is reflective with critical analysis and synthesis representative of knowledge gained from the course readings for the module
and current credible sources.
No less than 75% of post has exceptional depth and breadth.
Supported by at least 3 current credible sources.
35 (35%) – 39 (39%)
Responds to most of the discussion question(s).
Assessment of Older Adults
Advancement of age is associated with many chronic health issues that affect the quality of life. Elderly patients form a
unique subset of the patient population that many advanced practice nurse practitioners (APNP) will interact with in their
practice for evaluation and treatment. Some of the chronic conditions associated with advancing age include dementia,
osteoporosis, and other forms of cognitive impairment.
It is the mandate of the health care providers to ensure that elderly patients have a full functional ability to care for
themselves fully. To elicit problems facing elderly patients, comprehensive history taking, physical examination, and mental
state examination are necessary. Several assessment tools for their health conditions and functioning are available; hence,
APNPs should appropriately use those that can be of help in evaluating the patients they meet.
Assessment Tools
In this case, Mr. W is a 92-year-old retired college professor living at home with his wife in an upscale suburban
neighborhood that offers little public transport. Her wife prefers him to drive despite her ability to operate a motor vehicle.
Mr. W’s medical history includes obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), hypertension managed with lifestyle modification, chronic
anemia, osteoporosis, edema, history of prostate cancer, and edema. However, he can carry out his activities of daily living
appropriately.
He reports presenting to his geriatrician 8 years ago and reported forgetfulness when he lost his way while driving to a
family museum. He has a history of difficulty in recalling his personal art collection and has experienced falls. In 2009, he
reported troublesome memory loss that made his driving more difficult, although there were no reported unsafe practices.
His geriatrician diagnosed him with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) secondary to early onset Alzheimer’s disease with
recommendations of assessment at a driving evaluation clinic.
In developing an evaluation plan for the patient, it is important to note that the history of falls and confusion indicating
underlying immobility, cognitive dysfunction, and sensory deprivation may require adequate attention. From the history, only
hypertension is being managed and his only medication is vitamin B12. There is a need for the patient to be on iron
supplements to manage the anemia as well as restless leg syndrome (Trotti & Becker, 2019), as well as bisphosphonates,
which will manage his osteoporosis and reduce the risk of falls (Reid & Billington, 2022). The edema would be suggesting
a cardiac issue such as heart failure and being that he is hypertensive, it is crucial to evaluate the cardiovascular system
comprehensively.
There are many assessment tools for the patient. As stated by Arevalo-Rodriguez et al. (2021), the mini-mental state
examination (MMSE) is a brief neuropsychological test that is used in evaluating for cognitive function in the setting of
individuals with symptoms of cognitive dysfunction. Patients who have mild cognitive impairment, like Mr. W, should be
evaluated and monitored as they have a high risk of progressing into dementia.
As outlined in the history, the patient underwent two MMSE evaluations, for which, in the first presentation, he scored 30/30
and in the second assessment, 29/30. The MMSE is a 30-question assessment of cognitive function that is based on
attention, orientation, memory, registration, recall, calculation, language, and the ability to draw a complex polygon. The
MMSE is appropriate for this patient, with no ethical issues being involved. Since he is still driving, there are assessment
tools that can be used to measure his driving competency.
According to Toups et al. (2022), driving is a complex work that requires learned skills and coordination of complex
cognitive and physical tasks. On-road evaluations such as performance-based road tests and driving simulation studies
can be used to identify and remediate poor driving behaviors to prevent adverse outcomes (Toups et al., 2022). Again, the
MMSE can be a psychometric evaluation test that can be used to evaluate driving competency as it evaluates cognitive
functioning, which is applied in driving.
The comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) is a multidisciplinary instrument that can be used in elderly patients with a
risk of falling (Appeadu & Bordoni, 2023). The instrument uses scales such as the Berg Balance Scale to evaluate static
and dynamic balance, the Falls Efficacy Scale to assess the fear of falling, and the Timed Up and Go Test to assess a
patient’s mobility. Other assessment tools for fall risk among elderly patients include the Tinetti Gait and Balance
Assessment Tool and the one-legged and tandem stance assessments (Appeadu & Bordoni, 2023).
Issues Affecting Assessments
A number of geriatric patients have problems with memory, concentrating, learning, or making decisions that impact their
daily lives because of their age (Khanna & Metgud, 2020). When evaluating such patients, there should be more effort
during evaluation to obtain adequate information, especially during history taking because of their cognitive impairment that
may disturb their memory. Their level of education may impact their assessment as well as the language being used.
Therefore, as an advanced nurse practitioner, there should be a demonstration of cultural competency when evaluating
adults, as most tend to incline their thoughts and symptoms to culture.
,Immunization Requirements
At a personal level, life course vaccination programs substantially contribute to lowering the burden of infectious disease,
decreasing mortality, and mitigating infection-related mortality (Michel & Frangos, 2022). Similarly, with the implementation
of more vaccination programs in countries like the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia, the incidence of
morbidity and mortality of infectious diseases has drastically decreased by over 90%. Vaccines are of the essence in the
elderly population. It has been documented that tetanus, polio, and flu vaccines may play a role in preventing the onset of
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) (Michel & Frangos, 2022). It will be important to ensure the patient receives his annual flu vaccine
to ensure he does not contract influenza or pneumococcal pneumonia. According to Michel and Frangos (2022), patients
aged above 65 years should receive tetanus, polio, and flu vaccines.
NRNP 6540 RaymondYoung Week 1 Assessment of Older Adults References
Appeadu, M., & Bordoni, B. (2023, June 4). Falls and Fall Prevention in the Elderly. PubMed; StatPearls Publishing.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK560761/
Arevalo-Rodriguez, I., Smailagic, N., Roqué-Figuls, M., Ciapponi, A., Sanchez-Perez, E., Giannakou, A., Pedraza, O. L.,
Bonfill Cosp, X., & Cullum, S. (2021). Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) for the Early Detection of Dementia in
People with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI). Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2021(7).
https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.cd010783.pub3
Khanna, A., & Metgud, C. (2020). Prevalence of cognitive impairment in elderly population residing in an urban area of
Belagavi. Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care, 9(6), 2699. https://doi.org/10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_240_20
Michel, J.-P., & Frangos, E. (2022). The Implications of Vaccines in Older Populations. Vaccines, 10(3), 431.
https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines10030431
Reid, I. R., & Billington, E. O. (2022). Drug therapy for osteoporosis in older adults. The Lancet, 399(10329), 1080–1092.
https://doi.org/10.1016/s0140-6736(21)02646-5
Toups, R., Chirles, T. J., Ehsani, J. P., Michael, J. P., Bernstein, J. P. K., Calamia, M., Parsons, T. D., Carr, D. B., & Keller,
J. N. (2022). Driving Performance in Older Adults: Current Measures, Findings, and Implications for Roadway Safety.
Innovation in Aging, 6(1), igab051. https://doi.org/10.1093/geroni/igab051
Trotti, L. M., & Becker, L. A. (2019). Iron for the treatment of restless legs syndrome. Cochrane Database of Systematic
Reviews. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.cd007834.pub3
NRNP 6540 RaymondYoung Week 1 Assessment of Older Adults
Instructions
As patients age, they are more likely to develop health issues. While some of these health issues are normal changes due
to aging, some of them are abnormal and require further evaluation. Consider a 92-year-old patient who has been
diagnosed with several disorders, including obstructive sleep apnea, hypertension, mild chronic anemia, restless leg
syndrome, and osteoporosis. Despite these disorders, he can independently perform all basic activities of daily living, walk
a quarter mile without difficulty, and pass functional and cognitive assessments. However, he did report that he fell a few
times and had lost his way while driving to a familiar location (Carr & Ott, 2010).
As an advanced practice nurse caring for geriatric patients, you will likely encounter patients like this. While he can pass the
basic assessments, the report of falls and confusion might indicate underlying issues of immobility, sensory deprivation,
and/or cognitive dysfunction that require further attention. To identify these potential underlying issues and distinguish
between normal and abnormal changes due to aging, healthcare providers use a variety of assessments. These
assessments are a key tool in the care of geriatric patients.
This week, you examine assessment tools and evaluation plans used to assess geriatric patients presenting with potential
issues of immobility, sensory deprivation, and cognitive dysfunction.
Reference:
Carr, D. B., & Ott, B. R. (2010). The older adult driver with cognitive impairment: “It’s a very frustrating life.” Journal of the
American Medical Association, 303(16), 1632–1641. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2915446/
NRNP 6540 RaymondYoung Week 1 Assessment of Older Adults Learning Objectives
Students will:
Analyze assessment tools used to assess older adults
Design evaluation plans for patients with immobility, sensory deprivation, and/or cognitive dysfunction
Identify immunization requirements related to health promotion and disease prevention for older adults
,Also Read: NRNP 6540 Week 9 Assignment
Learning Resources
Required Readings (click to expand/reduce)
Kennedy-Malone, L., Martin-Plank, L., & Duffy, E. (2019). Changes with aging. In Advanced practice nursing in the care of
older adults (2nd ed., pp. 2–5). F. A. Davis.
Kennedy-Malone, L., Martin-Plank, L., & Duffy, E. (2019). Health promotion. In Advanced practice nursing in the care of
older adults (2nd ed., pp. 6–18). F. A. Davis.
Kennedy-Malone, L., Martin-Plank, L., & Duffy, E. (2019). Exercise in older adults. In Advanced practice nursing in the care
of older adults (2nd ed., pp. 19–24). F. A. Davis.
Kennedy-Malone, L., Martin-Plank, L., & Duffy, E. (2019). Comprehensive geriatric assessment. In Advanced practice
nursing in the care of older adults (2nd ed., pp. 26–33). F. A. Davis.
Kennedy-Malone, L., Martin-Plank, L., & Duffy, E. (2019). Symptoms and syndromes. In Advanced practice nursing in the
care of older adults (2nd ed., pp. 34–94). F. A. Davis.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2020). Recommended adult immunization schedule for ages 19 years or
older. https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/schedules/downloads/adult/adult-combined-schedule.pdf
Coll, P. P., Costello, V. W., Kuchel, G. A., Bartley, J., & McElhaney, J. E. (2019). The prevention of infections in older adults:
Vaccination. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 68(1), 207–214. https://doi.org/10.1111/jgs.16205
Hartford Institute for Geriatric Nursing. (2020). General assessment series. In Try This: Series. Author.
https://consultgeri.org/try-this/general-assessment
U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. (n.d.). Information for health professionals. Retrieved June 8, 2020 from
https://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/uspstf/information-health-professionals
U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. (2019). Appendix III. USPSTF LitWatch process.
https://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/uspstf/procedure-manual-appendix-iii-uspstf-litwatch-process
Recommended Reading (click to expand/reduce)
Goldberg, C. (2019). Role of physical exam, general observation, skin screening and vital signs.
https://meded.ucsd.edu/clinicalmed/assets/docs/Vital%20Signs%20and%20Introduction%20to%20the%20Exam.pdf
Recommended Media (click to expand/reduce)
Engage-IL (Producer). (2017m). Geriatric health promotion and disease prevention [Video].
https://engageil.com/modules/geriatric-health-promotion-and-disease-prevention/
Note: View the Geriatric Health Promotion and Disease Prevention video module available in this free course. If
you choose to view the Engage-IL media, you will need to create a free account at the Engage-IL website.
Engage-IL (Producer). (2017w). The process of aging [Video]. https://engageil.com/modules/the-process-of-aging/
Note: View the Process of Aging video module available in this free course.
Discussion: Evaluation Plan
As geriatric patients age, their health and functional stability may decline resulting in the inability to perform basic activities
of daily living. In your role as a nurse practitioner, you must assess whether the needs of these aging patients are being
met. Comprehensive geriatric assessments are used to determine whether these patients have developed or are at risk of
developing age-related changes that interfere with their functional status. Since the health status and living situation of older
adult patients often differ, there are a variety of assessment tools that can be used to evaluate wellness and functional
ability. For this Discussion, you will consider which assessment tools would be appropriate for a patient in a case scenario.
Photo Credit: LIGHTFIELD STUDIOS / Adobe Stock
To prepare:
Review this week’s Learning Resources, considering how assessment tools are used to evaluate patients.
Your Instructor will assign a case study to use for this Discussion. Review the case study and, based on the provided
, information, think about a possible patient evaluation plan. As part of your evaluation planning, consider where the
evaluation would take place, whether any other professionals or family members should be present, appropriate
assessment tools and guidelines, and any other relevant information you may wish to address.
Consider whether the assessment tool you identified was validated for use with this specific patient population and if
this poses issues. Think about additional factors that might present issues when performing assessments such as
language, education, prosthetics, missing limbs, etc.
Consider immunization requirements that may be needed for this patient.
By Day 3
Post an explanation of your evaluation plan for the patient in the case study provided, and explain which type of assessment
tool you might use for the patient. Explain whether the assessment tool was validated for use with this patient’s specific
patient population and whether this poses issues. Include additional factors that might present issues when performing
assessments, such as language, education, prosthetics, etc. Also explain the immunization requirements related to health
promotion and disease prevention for the patient.
Read a selection of your colleagues’ responses.
By Day 6
Respond to at least two of your colleagues on two different days in one or more of the following ways:
Suggest alternative assessment tools and explain why these tools might be appropriate for your colleagues’ patients.
Recommend strategies for mitigating issues related to use of the assessment tools your colleagues discussed.
Explain other health promotion considerations for patients in this population or with related issues.
Note: For this Discussion, you are required to complete your initial post before you will be able to view and respond to your
colleagues’ postings. Begin by clicking on the Post to Discussion Question link, and then select Create Thread to
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NRNP 6540 RaymondYoung Week 1 Assessment of Older Adults Rubric Detail
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Name: NRNP_6540_Week1_Discussion_Rubric
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Excellent
Point range: 90–100 Good
Point range: 80–89 Fair
Point range: 70–79 Poor
Point range: 0–69
Main Posting:
Response to the discussion question is reflective with critical analysis and synthesis representative of knowledge gained
from the course readings for the module and current credible sources.
40 (40%) – 44 (44%)
Thoroughly responds to the discussion question(s).
Is reflective with critical analysis and synthesis representative of knowledge gained from the course readings for the module
and current credible sources.
No less than 75% of post has exceptional depth and breadth.
Supported by at least 3 current credible sources.
35 (35%) – 39 (39%)
Responds to most of the discussion question(s).
