OSTEOPOROSIS QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
The nurse is providing nutritional teaching for a newly diagnosed pregnant patient.
Which dietary intervention should the nurse suggest in order for the growing fetus to
obtain enough maternal dietary calcium without having to pull calcium from the maternal
bones? - Answers -"Increase your dietary intake of beans."
The newly diagnosed patient should be encouraged to increase their intake of beans.
Beans not only contain fiber that will help with constipation that occurs during
pregnancy, but more important, contain high levels of calcium necessary for the growing
fetal skeleton. Other calcium-rich foods include dairy and vegetables. Beef, chicken,
and wheat do not contain high amounts of calcium.
The nurse is providing care for a patient diagnosed with osteoporosis who is recovering
from a wrist fracture.
Which outcome should the nurse expect the patient to meet? - Answers -The patient
identifies and eliminates safety hazards.
A patient with a wrist fracture should be able to identify and eliminate safety hazards to
prevent further injury. Achieving adequate calcium and vitamin D intake, incorporating
weight-bearing exercises, and maintaining a healthy weight are not expected outcomes
at this time.
The nurse is obtaining a health history on a patient diagnosed with osteoporosis.
Which patient statement has the strongest association with osteoporosis? - Answers -"I
try to walk twice a week."
The statement made by the patient that has the strongest association with osteoporosis
is, "I try to walk twice a week." Walking is a weight-bearing exercise, but it is
recommended that the patient will participate in weight-bearing exercises for
approximately 30 minutes a day at least four days a week. The statements regarding
lactose intolerance, abstinence from smoking, occasional alcohol use, and consuming a
vegan diet are not risk factors for osteoporosis.
A patient diagnosed with osteoporosis states to the nurse, "I don't understand how my
bones can be so brittle and break easily."
Before responding to the patient, the nurse should understand that which process is
involved in the pathophysiology of osteoporosis? - Answers -An imbalance between
osteoblasts and osteoclasts has occurred.
Osteoporosis is a metabolic bone disorder characterized by loss of bone mass,
increased bone fragility, and increased risk of fractures. Although the exact
pathophysiology of osteoporosis is unclear, it is known to involve an imbalance in the
activity of osteoblasts that form new bone and osteoclasts that reabsorb bone.
Osteoclasts are responsible for reabsorption of bone and osteoblasts the formation of
new bone.
, The nurse is caring for an older adult who has advanced dementia, osteoporosis, and
frequently gets out of bed throughout the night.
Which nursing intervention is most appropriate for the nurse to include in the plan of
care? - Answers -Placing the bed in the lowest position
The safest nursing intervention to prevent injury to the patient with advanced dementia
who frequently gets out of bed at night is to place the bed in the lowest position.
Medicating the patient is a chemical restraint. Providing the patient with an assistive
device is necessary if one is needed and the patient can use it safely. Restraints should
be avoided, because they may actually increase the patient's risk for falling and the risk
of injury associated with the fall.
A patient diagnosed with osteoporosis asks, "How can I prevent this disease from
progressing?"
Which response by the nurse provides the patient with important dietary information to
prevent the osteoporosis from progressing? - Answers -"To help prevent further
progression of the disease, it is important for you to increase your calcium intake."
Calcium is an essential mineral in the process of bone formation and other significant
body functions. When the intake of calcium through the diet is insufficient, the body
compensates by removing calcium from the skeleton, weakening the bone tissue. The
nurse should also remind the patient that vitamin D helps with calcium absorption.
Foods high in vitamin A, iron, animal protein, and zinc are not effective in the prevention
of the progression of osteoporosis.
A 65-year-old female patient has been recently diagnosed with osteoporosis.
Which information should the nurse include in the teaching related to the patient's
diagnosis? - Answers -"Walk 30-40 minutes per day."
Walking is a weight-bearing exercise. The patient should be encouraged to walk 30-40
minutes per day, at least four times a week, to promote bone growth. It is not necessary
to decrease dietary iron intake, increase dietary protein, or completely abstain from
caffeine.
The nurse is providing dietary teaching for a patient newly diagnosed with osteoporosis.
Included in the teaching is the importance of dietary intake of calcium and vitamin D.
Which foods that are high in vitamin D should the nurse recommend? - Answers -Milk
Vitamin D is necessary for the body to absorb calcium. The food the nurse will
recommend that is high in vitamin D is milk. Milk is also high in calcium, which is
recommended in the prevention of further complications of osteoporosis. Beef does not
contain high amounts of vitamin D. Orange juice and beans contain high amounts of
calcium.
The nurse is providing medication teaching to a patient who has been prescribed
alendronate sodium (Fosamax) for the treatment of osteoporosis.
Which adverse effect should the nurse include? - Answers -Dyspepsia
Dyspepsia is a common adverse effect that occurs for patients taking alendronate
sodium (Fosamax). Sinusitis and hot flashes are expected adverse effects that occur
The nurse is providing nutritional teaching for a newly diagnosed pregnant patient.
Which dietary intervention should the nurse suggest in order for the growing fetus to
obtain enough maternal dietary calcium without having to pull calcium from the maternal
bones? - Answers -"Increase your dietary intake of beans."
The newly diagnosed patient should be encouraged to increase their intake of beans.
Beans not only contain fiber that will help with constipation that occurs during
pregnancy, but more important, contain high levels of calcium necessary for the growing
fetal skeleton. Other calcium-rich foods include dairy and vegetables. Beef, chicken,
and wheat do not contain high amounts of calcium.
The nurse is providing care for a patient diagnosed with osteoporosis who is recovering
from a wrist fracture.
Which outcome should the nurse expect the patient to meet? - Answers -The patient
identifies and eliminates safety hazards.
A patient with a wrist fracture should be able to identify and eliminate safety hazards to
prevent further injury. Achieving adequate calcium and vitamin D intake, incorporating
weight-bearing exercises, and maintaining a healthy weight are not expected outcomes
at this time.
The nurse is obtaining a health history on a patient diagnosed with osteoporosis.
Which patient statement has the strongest association with osteoporosis? - Answers -"I
try to walk twice a week."
The statement made by the patient that has the strongest association with osteoporosis
is, "I try to walk twice a week." Walking is a weight-bearing exercise, but it is
recommended that the patient will participate in weight-bearing exercises for
approximately 30 minutes a day at least four days a week. The statements regarding
lactose intolerance, abstinence from smoking, occasional alcohol use, and consuming a
vegan diet are not risk factors for osteoporosis.
A patient diagnosed with osteoporosis states to the nurse, "I don't understand how my
bones can be so brittle and break easily."
Before responding to the patient, the nurse should understand that which process is
involved in the pathophysiology of osteoporosis? - Answers -An imbalance between
osteoblasts and osteoclasts has occurred.
Osteoporosis is a metabolic bone disorder characterized by loss of bone mass,
increased bone fragility, and increased risk of fractures. Although the exact
pathophysiology of osteoporosis is unclear, it is known to involve an imbalance in the
activity of osteoblasts that form new bone and osteoclasts that reabsorb bone.
Osteoclasts are responsible for reabsorption of bone and osteoblasts the formation of
new bone.
, The nurse is caring for an older adult who has advanced dementia, osteoporosis, and
frequently gets out of bed throughout the night.
Which nursing intervention is most appropriate for the nurse to include in the plan of
care? - Answers -Placing the bed in the lowest position
The safest nursing intervention to prevent injury to the patient with advanced dementia
who frequently gets out of bed at night is to place the bed in the lowest position.
Medicating the patient is a chemical restraint. Providing the patient with an assistive
device is necessary if one is needed and the patient can use it safely. Restraints should
be avoided, because they may actually increase the patient's risk for falling and the risk
of injury associated with the fall.
A patient diagnosed with osteoporosis asks, "How can I prevent this disease from
progressing?"
Which response by the nurse provides the patient with important dietary information to
prevent the osteoporosis from progressing? - Answers -"To help prevent further
progression of the disease, it is important for you to increase your calcium intake."
Calcium is an essential mineral in the process of bone formation and other significant
body functions. When the intake of calcium through the diet is insufficient, the body
compensates by removing calcium from the skeleton, weakening the bone tissue. The
nurse should also remind the patient that vitamin D helps with calcium absorption.
Foods high in vitamin A, iron, animal protein, and zinc are not effective in the prevention
of the progression of osteoporosis.
A 65-year-old female patient has been recently diagnosed with osteoporosis.
Which information should the nurse include in the teaching related to the patient's
diagnosis? - Answers -"Walk 30-40 minutes per day."
Walking is a weight-bearing exercise. The patient should be encouraged to walk 30-40
minutes per day, at least four times a week, to promote bone growth. It is not necessary
to decrease dietary iron intake, increase dietary protein, or completely abstain from
caffeine.
The nurse is providing dietary teaching for a patient newly diagnosed with osteoporosis.
Included in the teaching is the importance of dietary intake of calcium and vitamin D.
Which foods that are high in vitamin D should the nurse recommend? - Answers -Milk
Vitamin D is necessary for the body to absorb calcium. The food the nurse will
recommend that is high in vitamin D is milk. Milk is also high in calcium, which is
recommended in the prevention of further complications of osteoporosis. Beef does not
contain high amounts of vitamin D. Orange juice and beans contain high amounts of
calcium.
The nurse is providing medication teaching to a patient who has been prescribed
alendronate sodium (Fosamax) for the treatment of osteoporosis.
Which adverse effect should the nurse include? - Answers -Dyspepsia
Dyspepsia is a common adverse effect that occurs for patients taking alendronate
sodium (Fosamax). Sinusitis and hot flashes are expected adverse effects that occur
