NUR 2804C PCC Exam 2026/2027 The Ultimate Study Companion and Exam Preparation Manual: InDepth Concept Review, Complete Test Bank, Realistic Practice Questions, and Final Knowledge AssessmentQuestion 13:

A nurse is planning mobility education for a family with an infant and an older adult living in the same home. Which explanation best reflects mobility changes across the life span? A. Infants and older adults have the same musculoskeletal risks because both have fully developed bones. B. Infants have flexible bones and large heads, while older adults experience reduced elasticity, height loss, and increased fragility. C. Infants are at low risk for injury because their bones are soft, while older adults are protected by increased superficial fat. D. Mobility development is mainly complete in infancy and does not significantly change with aging. Correct Answer: B. Infants have flexible bones and large heads, while older adults experience reduced elasticity, height loss, and increased fragility. Rationale: Infants have flexible bones, developing muscles, and relatively large heads, which increases their risk for head injury during falls. As children grow, bones harden and muscle strength increases. In contrast, older adults experience musculoskeletal changes such as decreased elasticity, reduced height, kyphosis, weaker tissues, and more fragile blood vessels. These differences require age-specific safety and mobility interventions. The other options incorrectly assume that mobility risks are the same or that aging protects against injury. Question 2 A nurse is assessing an infant’s mobility and safety risks. Which finding would be most important to consider when teaching the parents about injury prevention? A. Infants have smaller heads, making falls less dangerous. B. Infants have rigid bones that fracture more easily than older adults. C. Infants have large heads and developing motor control, increasing the risk for head injury. D. Infants have fully developed postural reflexes that prevent most falls. Correct Answer: C. Infants have large heads and developing motor control, increasing the risk for head injury. Rationale: Infants have proportionally large heads and immature motor coordination, which places them at greater risk for head injuries if they fall. Their bones are flexible, and their musculoskeletal system continues to develop throughout childhood. Parents should be taught close supervision, safe sleep practices, fall prevention, and appropriate use of protective equipment. The other options are incorrect because infants do not have smaller heads, fully mature reflexes, or rigid adult-like bones. Question 3 An older adult patient reports becoming shorter and developing a stooped posture. Which explanation by the nurse is most accurate? A. “This is usually caused by increased muscle growth in later adulthood.” B. “This may result from decreased elasticity and musculoskeletal changes such as kyphosis.” C. “This indicates that your bones are becoming more flexible like those of infants.” D. “This is unrelated to aging and should always be considered a normal posture choice.” Correct Answer: B. “This may result from decreased elasticity and musculoskeletal changes such as kyphosis.” Rationale: Aging affects the musculoskeletal system by reducing elasticity, strength, height, and tissue resilience. Kyphosis, or a forward curvature of the spine, may develop and contribute to a stooped posture. These changes can affect mobility, balance, and safety. While some postural changes are common with aging, they should still be assessed because they can increase fall risk. The other options do not accurately explain age-related musculoskeletal changes. Question 4 A community health nurse is teaching adults how to maintain mobility and wellbeing throughout life. Which intervention best represents primary prevention? A. Teaching a patient with a hip fracture how to use a walker after surgery. B. Screening older adults for osteoporosis after they report back pain. C. Encouraging proper nutrition, hydration, exercise, and range-of-motion activities before disability develops. D. Providing rehabilitation exercises after a stroke has caused permanent weakness. Correct Answer: C. Encouraging proper nutrition, hydration, exercise, and range-of-motion activities before disability develops. Rationale: Primary prevention focuses on preventing health problems before they occur. Teaching about balanced nutrition, hydration, regular exercise, breathing exercises, activity, and range-of-motion movement supports mobility and overall health before illness or immobility develops. Screening is secondary prevention, while rehabilitation and disease management are tertiary prevention. Teaching after a fracture or stroke is important, but it addresses existing impairment rather than preventing the initial problem. Question 5 Which patient has the greatest individual risk factor for impaired mobility? A. A young adult who walks daily and has no chronic disease. B. A middle-aged patient with a spinal cord injury from a motor vehicle accident. C. An adolescent who plays organized sports and has normal strength. D. An adult with no pain who works at a desk. Correct Answer: B. A middle-aged patient with a spinal cord injury from a motor vehicle accident. Rationale: Traumatic injury to the brain, spinal cord, bones, joints, or muscles is a major individual risk factor for impaired mobility. Neurological conditions, chronic disease, pain medication, nutritional deficiencies, cancer treatments, and corticosteroid therapy can also increase risk. Although sedentary work can contribute to reduced activity, a spinal cord injury presents a much more direct and serious risk for immobility. The other options do not show comparable mobility threats. Question 6 A patient has impaired mobility after a stroke that damaged the central nervous system. Which category best describes this influence on mobility? A. Developmental influence B. Pathological influence C. Psychosocial influence D. Environmental influence Correct Answer: B. Pathological influence Rationale: Pathological influences on mobility include postural abnormalities, muscle abnormalities, central nervous system damage, and musculoskeletal trauma. A stroke that damages the central nervous system directly affects movement, coordination, strength, and function. Psychosocial factors such as depression or coping changes may also affect mobility, but the direct cause in this case is pathological. Developmental and environmental influences may contribute to mobility but are not the primary issue described here. Question 7 A nurse is caring for a hospitalized patient who has been on bed rest for several days. Which complication should the nurse anticipate as a consequence of immobility? A. Improved venous return B. Increased bowel motility C. Pressure injury formation D. Reduced risk of pneumonia Correct Answer: C. Pressure injury formation Rationale: Immobility can lead to skin breakdown, pressure ulcers, muscle weakness, constipation, pneumonia, thrombophlebitis, and depression. Reduced movement decreases circulation, weakens muscles, impairs lung expansion, and increases pressure over bony areas. The nurse should prioritize repositioning, skin assessment, range-of-motion exercises, hydration, nutrition, and respiratory exercises. The incorrect options describe improvements, but immobility actually worsens venous return, bowel motility, and respiratory clearance. Question 8 A patient with limited mobility is becoming increasingly dependent on staff for activities of daily living. Which nursing care plan goal is most appropriate? A. Eliminate all physical activity until the patient reports no fatigue. B. Improve functional status, promote self-care, maintain psychological well-being, and reduce hazards of immobility. C. Focus only on pain medication because mobility cannot improve during hospitalization. D. Restrict family involvement to avoid interfering with nursing care. Correct Answer: B. Improve functional status, promote self-care, maintain psychological well-being, and reduce hazards of immobility. Rationale: Patients with mobility impairments benefit from care plans that support functional status, self-care, emotional health, and prevention of immobility complications. Nursing care should include assessment, realistic goals, patient participation, positioning, skin care, range-of-motion activities, ambulation, and psychological support. Eliminating activity worsens immobility. Pain management is important but not sufficient alone. Family involvement can support independence and coping when appropriate. Question 9 During a mobility assessment of a newborn, which nursing action is most appropriate? A. Assess developmental milestones and newborn reflexes. B. Focus only on the infant’s ability to walk independently. C. Ask the infant to describe pain and stiffness. D. Evaluate workplace injury risks. Correct Answer: A. Assess developmental milestones and newborn reflexes. Rationale: In infants and young children, mobility assessment focuses on developmental milestones, appearance and disappearance of newborn reflexes, neurological development, and musculoskeletal development. Reflex patterns are especially important because they can indicate whether the nervous and musculoskeletal systems are developing appropriately. Independent walking is not expected in a newborn. Pain description and workplace injury assessment are more appropriate for older children, adolescents, or adults. Question 10 An adolescent with prolonged immobility after an injury is withdrawn and avoids friends. Which nursing interpretation is most appropriate? A. Social withdrawal is unrelated to immobility in adolescents. B. Adolescents may experience delayed independence and social isolation when mobility is restricted. C. Adolescents usually benefit from complete isolation during recovery. D. Immobility improves self-concept by reducing peer pressure. Correct Answer: B. Adolescents may experience delayed independence and social isolation when mobility is restricted. Rationale: Adolescence is a developmental stage marked by increasing independence, peer relationships, and identity formation. Restricted mobility can interfere with social interaction, skill development, self-concept, and independence. Nurses should assess emotional responses, encourage appropriate activity, promote peer contact when possible, and support coping. The other options are incorrect because immobility can significantly affect psychosocial development and should not be managed through isolation. Question 11 A nurse assessing an adult’s mobility asks about range of motion, walking ability, self-care, stiffness, swelling, pain, and shortness of breath. What is the main purpose of this assessment? A. To determine only whether the patient needs surgery. B. To understand the patient’s functional mobility and factors limiting activity. C. To avoid asking about psychosocial concerns. D. To replace the need for a physical examination. Correct Answer: B. To understand the patient’s functional mobility and factors limiting activity. Rationale: Adult mobility assessment should include the patient’s perspective on range of motion, walking, ability to perform self-care, stiffness, swelling, pain, difficulty with movement, and shortness of breath. These findings help the nurse identify functional limitations, safety risks, and appropriate interventions. The assessment does not automatically determine surgical need, nor does it replace physical examination. Psychosocial concerns should also be considered because mobility affects independence and coping.