C HAPTER 8: C ARING FOR P ATIENTS WITH
C HRONIC I LLNESS
Fundamentals of Nursing 10th Edition; Potter Perry
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. The nurse cares for an alert, homeless older adult patient who was
admitted to the hospital with a chronic foot infection. Which intervention
is the most appropriate for the nurse to include in the discharge plan for
this patient?
A. Refer the patient to social services for further assessment.
B. Teach the patient how to assess and care for the foot infection.
C. Schedule the patient to return to outpatient services for foot care.
D. Give the patient written information about shelters and meal sites.
ANS: A
An interdisciplinary approach, including social services, is needed
when caring for homeless older adults. Even with appropriate teaching,
a homeless individual may not be able to maintain adequate foot care
because of a lack of supplies or a suitable place to accomplish care.
Older homeless individuals are less likel y to use shelters or meal sites.
A homeless person may fail to keep appointments for outpatient
services because of factors such as fear of institutionalization or lack
of transportation.
, DIF: Cognitive Level: Appl y (application) REF: 67 TOP:
Nursing Process: Implementation MSC: NC LEX: Safe and
Effective Care Environment
2. The home health nurse cares for an older adult patient who lives alone and
takes several different prescrib ed medications for chronic health
problems. Which intervention, if implemented by the nurse, would best
encourage medication compliance?
A. Use a marked pillbox to set up the patients medications.
B. Discuss the option of moving to an assisted living facilit y.
C. Remind the patient about the importance of taking medications.
D. Visit the patient daily to administer the prescribed medications.
ANS: A
Because forgetting to take medications is a common cause of
medication errors in older adults, the use of medication re minder
devices is helpful when older adults have multiple medications to take.
There is no indication that the patient needs to move to assisted living
or that the patient does not understand the importance of medication
compliance. Home health care is not designed for the patient who needs
ongoing assistance with activities of dail y living (ADLs) or
instrumental ADLs (IADLs).
DIF: Cognitive Level: Appl y (application) REF: 65 TOP:
Nursing Process: Implementation MSC: NC LEX:
Physiological Integrity
3. The home health nurse visits an older patient with mild forgetfulness. The
nurse is most concerned if which information is obtained?
, A. The patient tells the nurse that a close friend recentl y died.
B. The patient has lost 10 pounds (4.5 kg) during the last month.
C. The patient is cared for by a daughter during the day and stays with
a son at night.
D. The patients son uses a marked pillbox to set up the patients
medications weekl y.
ANS: B
A 10-pound weight loss may be an indication of elder neglect or
depression and re quires further assessment by the nurse. The use of a
marked pillbox and planning by the family for 24 -hour care are
appropriate for this patient. It is not unusual that an 86 -year-old would
have friends who have died.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Appl y (applicat ion) REF: 67 TOP:
Nursing Process: Assessment MSC: NC LEX: Physiological
Integrit y
4. Which statement, if made by an older adult patient, would be of most
concern to the nurse?
A. I prefer to manage my life without much help from other people.
B. I take three different medications for m y heart and joint problems.
C. I dont go on dail y walks anymore since I had pneumonia 3 months
ago.
D. I set up m y medications in a marked pillbox so I dont forget to take
them.
ANS: C
C HRONIC I LLNESS
Fundamentals of Nursing 10th Edition; Potter Perry
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. The nurse cares for an alert, homeless older adult patient who was
admitted to the hospital with a chronic foot infection. Which intervention
is the most appropriate for the nurse to include in the discharge plan for
this patient?
A. Refer the patient to social services for further assessment.
B. Teach the patient how to assess and care for the foot infection.
C. Schedule the patient to return to outpatient services for foot care.
D. Give the patient written information about shelters and meal sites.
ANS: A
An interdisciplinary approach, including social services, is needed
when caring for homeless older adults. Even with appropriate teaching,
a homeless individual may not be able to maintain adequate foot care
because of a lack of supplies or a suitable place to accomplish care.
Older homeless individuals are less likel y to use shelters or meal sites.
A homeless person may fail to keep appointments for outpatient
services because of factors such as fear of institutionalization or lack
of transportation.
, DIF: Cognitive Level: Appl y (application) REF: 67 TOP:
Nursing Process: Implementation MSC: NC LEX: Safe and
Effective Care Environment
2. The home health nurse cares for an older adult patient who lives alone and
takes several different prescrib ed medications for chronic health
problems. Which intervention, if implemented by the nurse, would best
encourage medication compliance?
A. Use a marked pillbox to set up the patients medications.
B. Discuss the option of moving to an assisted living facilit y.
C. Remind the patient about the importance of taking medications.
D. Visit the patient daily to administer the prescribed medications.
ANS: A
Because forgetting to take medications is a common cause of
medication errors in older adults, the use of medication re minder
devices is helpful when older adults have multiple medications to take.
There is no indication that the patient needs to move to assisted living
or that the patient does not understand the importance of medication
compliance. Home health care is not designed for the patient who needs
ongoing assistance with activities of dail y living (ADLs) or
instrumental ADLs (IADLs).
DIF: Cognitive Level: Appl y (application) REF: 65 TOP:
Nursing Process: Implementation MSC: NC LEX:
Physiological Integrity
3. The home health nurse visits an older patient with mild forgetfulness. The
nurse is most concerned if which information is obtained?
, A. The patient tells the nurse that a close friend recentl y died.
B. The patient has lost 10 pounds (4.5 kg) during the last month.
C. The patient is cared for by a daughter during the day and stays with
a son at night.
D. The patients son uses a marked pillbox to set up the patients
medications weekl y.
ANS: B
A 10-pound weight loss may be an indication of elder neglect or
depression and re quires further assessment by the nurse. The use of a
marked pillbox and planning by the family for 24 -hour care are
appropriate for this patient. It is not unusual that an 86 -year-old would
have friends who have died.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Appl y (applicat ion) REF: 67 TOP:
Nursing Process: Assessment MSC: NC LEX: Physiological
Integrit y
4. Which statement, if made by an older adult patient, would be of most
concern to the nurse?
A. I prefer to manage my life without much help from other people.
B. I take three different medications for m y heart and joint problems.
C. I dont go on dail y walks anymore since I had pneumonia 3 months
ago.
D. I set up m y medications in a marked pillbox so I dont forget to take
them.
ANS: C
