NUR 257 MIDTERM QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS WITH COMPLETE
SOLUTIONS 100% CORRECT RATED A+
||UPDATED 2026
Question: What are common not normal behaviors in an older adult?
Answer: ✔✔ Severe mood swings, uncontrolled laughing or crying, changes in
cognitive ability, and excessive forgetfulness.
Question: True or false: changes in mental status are part of the normal aging
process
Answer: ✔✔ False
Question: The most common affective or mood disorder of old age
Answer: ✔✔ Depression
Question: What might cause depression in an older adult?
Answer: ✔✔ Precipitating events/loss, chronic illness, or chronic pain.
Question: What are s/s of depression in the older adult?
Answer: ✔✔ Fatigue, diminished memory/concentration, irritability, somatic
complaints, behavioral changes, feelings of worthlessness, sleep disturbances,
appetite disturbances with excessive weight loss/gain, restlessness, impaired
attention span, and suicidal ideation.
Question: Why might depression go untreated in an older adult?
Answer: ✔✔ It goes unrecognized or the patient does not want to seek medical
treatment for it.
Question: How can we combat the high suicide risk in the older adult population?
Answer: ✔✔ Routine assessments/screenings.
Question: What assessment/screening tool is used for depression in older adults?
Answer: ✔✔ Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS)
,what is the treatment/management of depression? -ANSWER ✔✔treat underlying
medical condition (chronic illness, chronic pain)
antidepressant medications
what can older adults on antidepressants become at risk for? -ANSWER
✔✔adverse effects: anticholinergic, cardiac and orthostatic adverse effects
drug interaction: med toxicity, hypotensive, falls
what patient education is needed for older adults on antidepressants? -ANSWER
✔✔elders to understand that it may take even longer than the typical 4-6 weeks for
symptoms to diminish
change positions slowly
maintain adequate hydration to avoid common side effects (nausea, dizziness, and
constipation)
acute confusional state -ANSWER ✔✔delirium
what type of delirium has a higher mortality rate and why? -ANSWER ✔✔stupor
(hypoalert-hypoactive) delirium because it tends not to be recognized; it is quiet
and often mistaken for depression
which type of delirium is easier to diagnose? -ANSWER ✔✔excessive activity
(hyperalert-hyperactive) delirium
,require more attention because patient's thinking is disoriented
in what setting is delirium most commonly seen in older adults? why? -ANSWER
✔✔the hospital setting because it often indicates a medical illness
what happens if delirium is left untreated? -ANSWER ✔✔changes in LOC,
irreversible brain damage, and death
what vital assessment piece do you need to know to determine dementia from
delirium? -ANSWER ✔✔the patient's baseline
dementia is long term
delirium is abrupt onset
what screening tool is used for delirium in the hospital? -ANSWER ✔✔CAM
what are the common causes of delirium? -ANSWER ✔✔physical illness
infection (UTI or pneumonia)
medication polypharmacy
imbalanced fluid and electrolytes
alcohol or drug withdrawal
(it can be more than one of these at the same time)
, why is delirium a medical emergency? -ANSWER ✔✔it is acute, quick onset, with
an underlying cause
if left untreated, it can cause death or brain damage
how is delirium treated? -ANSWER ✔✔treat underlying cause
manage patient safety
manage behavioral problems
what is the most common type of dementia? -ANSWER ✔✔AD
what are symptoms of early (mild) stages of AD? -ANSWER ✔✔forgetfulness and
subtle memory loss
small difficulties in work or social activities but have adequate cognitive function
to compensate for the loss and continue to function independently.
what are symptoms of moderate stage of AD? -ANSWER ✔✔forgetfulness is
manifested in many daily actions
impulsive behavior
difficulty with IADLs
personality changes
what are symptoms of terminal (severe) AD? -ANSWER ✔✔patients are usually
immobile and require total care with ADLs
ANSWERS WITH COMPLETE
SOLUTIONS 100% CORRECT RATED A+
||UPDATED 2026
Question: What are common not normal behaviors in an older adult?
Answer: ✔✔ Severe mood swings, uncontrolled laughing or crying, changes in
cognitive ability, and excessive forgetfulness.
Question: True or false: changes in mental status are part of the normal aging
process
Answer: ✔✔ False
Question: The most common affective or mood disorder of old age
Answer: ✔✔ Depression
Question: What might cause depression in an older adult?
Answer: ✔✔ Precipitating events/loss, chronic illness, or chronic pain.
Question: What are s/s of depression in the older adult?
Answer: ✔✔ Fatigue, diminished memory/concentration, irritability, somatic
complaints, behavioral changes, feelings of worthlessness, sleep disturbances,
appetite disturbances with excessive weight loss/gain, restlessness, impaired
attention span, and suicidal ideation.
Question: Why might depression go untreated in an older adult?
Answer: ✔✔ It goes unrecognized or the patient does not want to seek medical
treatment for it.
Question: How can we combat the high suicide risk in the older adult population?
Answer: ✔✔ Routine assessments/screenings.
Question: What assessment/screening tool is used for depression in older adults?
Answer: ✔✔ Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS)
,what is the treatment/management of depression? -ANSWER ✔✔treat underlying
medical condition (chronic illness, chronic pain)
antidepressant medications
what can older adults on antidepressants become at risk for? -ANSWER
✔✔adverse effects: anticholinergic, cardiac and orthostatic adverse effects
drug interaction: med toxicity, hypotensive, falls
what patient education is needed for older adults on antidepressants? -ANSWER
✔✔elders to understand that it may take even longer than the typical 4-6 weeks for
symptoms to diminish
change positions slowly
maintain adequate hydration to avoid common side effects (nausea, dizziness, and
constipation)
acute confusional state -ANSWER ✔✔delirium
what type of delirium has a higher mortality rate and why? -ANSWER ✔✔stupor
(hypoalert-hypoactive) delirium because it tends not to be recognized; it is quiet
and often mistaken for depression
which type of delirium is easier to diagnose? -ANSWER ✔✔excessive activity
(hyperalert-hyperactive) delirium
,require more attention because patient's thinking is disoriented
in what setting is delirium most commonly seen in older adults? why? -ANSWER
✔✔the hospital setting because it often indicates a medical illness
what happens if delirium is left untreated? -ANSWER ✔✔changes in LOC,
irreversible brain damage, and death
what vital assessment piece do you need to know to determine dementia from
delirium? -ANSWER ✔✔the patient's baseline
dementia is long term
delirium is abrupt onset
what screening tool is used for delirium in the hospital? -ANSWER ✔✔CAM
what are the common causes of delirium? -ANSWER ✔✔physical illness
infection (UTI or pneumonia)
medication polypharmacy
imbalanced fluid and electrolytes
alcohol or drug withdrawal
(it can be more than one of these at the same time)
, why is delirium a medical emergency? -ANSWER ✔✔it is acute, quick onset, with
an underlying cause
if left untreated, it can cause death or brain damage
how is delirium treated? -ANSWER ✔✔treat underlying cause
manage patient safety
manage behavioral problems
what is the most common type of dementia? -ANSWER ✔✔AD
what are symptoms of early (mild) stages of AD? -ANSWER ✔✔forgetfulness and
subtle memory loss
small difficulties in work or social activities but have adequate cognitive function
to compensate for the loss and continue to function independently.
what are symptoms of moderate stage of AD? -ANSWER ✔✔forgetfulness is
manifested in many daily actions
impulsive behavior
difficulty with IADLs
personality changes
what are symptoms of terminal (severe) AD? -ANSWER ✔✔patients are usually
immobile and require total care with ADLs
