NR601 Final Exam Primary Care Of The Maturing &
Aged Family Practicum | Final Exam Questions With
Answers & Rationales | 2026/2027 Updates
Chamberlain College Of Nursing
Document Entails;
SECTION I: Geriatric Assessment & Cognitive Disorders
SECTION II: Cardiovascular & Respiratory Disorders
SECTION III: Endocrine & Metabolic Disorders
SECTION IV: Neurological & Musculoskeletal Disorders
SECTION V: Geriatric Syndromes & Palliative Care
SECTION VI: Health Promotion & Disease Prevention
Question 1.
What are the signs and symptoms of depression in the elderly?
A. Low self-esteem and guilt only
B. Anger, anhedonia, somatic complaints (primarily gastrointestinal), weight loss, decreased
appetite
C. Euphoria and increased energy
D. Hallucinations and delusions exclusively
Correct Answer: B
Rationale:
Depression in older adults often presents atypically with somatic complaints, anhedonia, anger,
and appetite changes rather than classic low self-esteem or guilt, which are more common in
younger populations. This "masked depression" presentation requires a high index of suspicion
for accurate diagnosis.
,Question 2.
Risk factors for developing depression in the elderly include:
A. Strong social support and active lifestyle
B. Chronic illness, functional decline, social isolation, and bereavement
C. Young age and high income
D. Absence of medical comorbidities
Correct Answer: B
Rationale:
Older adults face unique depression risk factors including chronic medical conditions, loss of
independence, death of loved ones, and social isolation. Protective factors include strong social
support and engagement.
Question 3.
When treating depression associated with dementia, which of the following would be a
poor choice and should not be prescribed?
A. Sertraline
B. Escitalopram
C. Amitriptyline
D. Venlafaxine
Correct Answer: C
Rationale:
Amitriptyline is a tricyclic antidepressant with significant anticholinergic effects, increasing risks
of falls, cognitive impairment, and delirium in older adults with dementia. SSRIs are preferred.
Question 4.
When assessing an older client for indications of depression, the nurse practitioner bases
the intervention on the knowledge that:
A. Depression presents the same way in all age groups
B. The older client's symptoms may be atypical for the disorder
,C. Older adults cannot develop depression
D. Depression is a normal part of aging
Correct Answer: B
Rationale:
Depression in older adults frequently presents with somatic complaints, cognitive changes, and
less prominent mood symptoms. This "masked depression" requires a high index of suspicion
for accurate diagnosis.
Question 5.
A 68-year-old woman presents with a complaint of urine leakage whenever she sneezes,
laughs, or strains for the past 4 months. She denies dysuria, frequency, and nocturia. What
is the diagnosis?
A. Stress incontinence
B. Urge incontinence
C. Overflow incontinence
D. Functional incontinence
Correct Answer: A
Rationale:
Involuntary urine leakage with increased intra-abdominal pressure (sneezing, laughing,
straining) defines stress incontinence, resulting from pelvic floor weakness or urethral sphincter
incompetence, common after menopause or childbirth.
Question 6.
Which characteristic of delirium helps to distinguish it from dementia?
A. Progressive decline over years
B. Abrupt or acute onset
C. Memory loss is the first symptom
D. Patients are always alert
Correct Answer: B
Rationale:
, Delirium has an acute onset (hours to days) and fluctuating course, while dementia has a
gradual onset and progressive decline over months to years. This temporal distinction is key for
differential diagnosis.
Question 7.
Which of the following is the most appropriate screening tool for delirium?
A. St Louis University Mental Status Exam (SLUMS)
B. Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA)
C. Confusion Assessment Method (CAM)
D. Mini-Mental State Exam (MMSE)
Correct Answer: C
Rationale:
The CAM is the validated screening instrument specifically designed to detect delirium by
assessing acute onset, fluctuating course, inattention, disorganized thinking, and altered
consciousness. SLUMS and MoCA screen for dementia, not delirium.
Question 8.
The elderly are at high risk for delirium because of:
A. Multiple medical problems
B. Multisensory deficits
C. Polypharmacy
D. All of the above
Correct Answer: D
Rationale:
Delirium risk factors in older adults include baseline cognitive impairment, sensory deficits
(vision/hearing loss), multiple comorbidities, and polypharmacy (especially anticholinergics,
benzodiazepines). The multifactorial nature requires comprehensive prevention strategies.
Question 9.
Aged Family Practicum | Final Exam Questions With
Answers & Rationales | 2026/2027 Updates
Chamberlain College Of Nursing
Document Entails;
SECTION I: Geriatric Assessment & Cognitive Disorders
SECTION II: Cardiovascular & Respiratory Disorders
SECTION III: Endocrine & Metabolic Disorders
SECTION IV: Neurological & Musculoskeletal Disorders
SECTION V: Geriatric Syndromes & Palliative Care
SECTION VI: Health Promotion & Disease Prevention
Question 1.
What are the signs and symptoms of depression in the elderly?
A. Low self-esteem and guilt only
B. Anger, anhedonia, somatic complaints (primarily gastrointestinal), weight loss, decreased
appetite
C. Euphoria and increased energy
D. Hallucinations and delusions exclusively
Correct Answer: B
Rationale:
Depression in older adults often presents atypically with somatic complaints, anhedonia, anger,
and appetite changes rather than classic low self-esteem or guilt, which are more common in
younger populations. This "masked depression" presentation requires a high index of suspicion
for accurate diagnosis.
,Question 2.
Risk factors for developing depression in the elderly include:
A. Strong social support and active lifestyle
B. Chronic illness, functional decline, social isolation, and bereavement
C. Young age and high income
D. Absence of medical comorbidities
Correct Answer: B
Rationale:
Older adults face unique depression risk factors including chronic medical conditions, loss of
independence, death of loved ones, and social isolation. Protective factors include strong social
support and engagement.
Question 3.
When treating depression associated with dementia, which of the following would be a
poor choice and should not be prescribed?
A. Sertraline
B. Escitalopram
C. Amitriptyline
D. Venlafaxine
Correct Answer: C
Rationale:
Amitriptyline is a tricyclic antidepressant with significant anticholinergic effects, increasing risks
of falls, cognitive impairment, and delirium in older adults with dementia. SSRIs are preferred.
Question 4.
When assessing an older client for indications of depression, the nurse practitioner bases
the intervention on the knowledge that:
A. Depression presents the same way in all age groups
B. The older client's symptoms may be atypical for the disorder
,C. Older adults cannot develop depression
D. Depression is a normal part of aging
Correct Answer: B
Rationale:
Depression in older adults frequently presents with somatic complaints, cognitive changes, and
less prominent mood symptoms. This "masked depression" requires a high index of suspicion
for accurate diagnosis.
Question 5.
A 68-year-old woman presents with a complaint of urine leakage whenever she sneezes,
laughs, or strains for the past 4 months. She denies dysuria, frequency, and nocturia. What
is the diagnosis?
A. Stress incontinence
B. Urge incontinence
C. Overflow incontinence
D. Functional incontinence
Correct Answer: A
Rationale:
Involuntary urine leakage with increased intra-abdominal pressure (sneezing, laughing,
straining) defines stress incontinence, resulting from pelvic floor weakness or urethral sphincter
incompetence, common after menopause or childbirth.
Question 6.
Which characteristic of delirium helps to distinguish it from dementia?
A. Progressive decline over years
B. Abrupt or acute onset
C. Memory loss is the first symptom
D. Patients are always alert
Correct Answer: B
Rationale:
, Delirium has an acute onset (hours to days) and fluctuating course, while dementia has a
gradual onset and progressive decline over months to years. This temporal distinction is key for
differential diagnosis.
Question 7.
Which of the following is the most appropriate screening tool for delirium?
A. St Louis University Mental Status Exam (SLUMS)
B. Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA)
C. Confusion Assessment Method (CAM)
D. Mini-Mental State Exam (MMSE)
Correct Answer: C
Rationale:
The CAM is the validated screening instrument specifically designed to detect delirium by
assessing acute onset, fluctuating course, inattention, disorganized thinking, and altered
consciousness. SLUMS and MoCA screen for dementia, not delirium.
Question 8.
The elderly are at high risk for delirium because of:
A. Multiple medical problems
B. Multisensory deficits
C. Polypharmacy
D. All of the above
Correct Answer: D
Rationale:
Delirium risk factors in older adults include baseline cognitive impairment, sensory deficits
(vision/hearing loss), multiple comorbidities, and polypharmacy (especially anticholinergics,
benzodiazepines). The multifactorial nature requires comprehensive prevention strategies.
Question 9.
