SOLVED QUESTIONS FOR HESI 54 54 54
GERONTOLOGY FINAL EXAM 54 54
1. A54nurse54is54discussing54an54older54adult's54recent54diagnosis54of54rheumatoid54arthritis54with54a54
colleague.54Which54of54the54nurse's54statements54reflects54an54accurate54view54of54the54relationship5
4between54aging54and54wellness?
A. "It's54important54that54the54individual54knows54this54is54an54expected54part54of54growing54older."
B. We54need54to54teach54the54older54adult54how54he54can54keep54living54a54fruitful54life54in54spite54of54his5
4diagnosis."
C) "We54need54to54make54sure54our54teaching54is54not54too54detailed54for54someone54of54his54age."
D) "We54need54to54ensure54his54expectations54of54continuing54to54live54alone54are54realistic."54-
54CORRECT54ANSWER54-54Ans:54B
Answer54B54reflects54a54desire54to54foster54a54fulfilling54and54productive54life54for54the54older54adult5
4despite54his54diagnosis,54and54reflects54an54understanding54of54wellness54and54aging.54Option54A54i
mplies54that54illness54is54an54inevitability54of54aging.54Option54C54suggests54that54older54adults54have5
4a54limited54capacity54to54learn54by54virtue54of54their54age,54and54option54D54implies54pessimism54abo
ut54the54health54and54functioning54of54the54older54adult.
2. A54nurse54is54teaching54an54older54person54about54the54concept54of54successful54aging.54Whic
h54of54the54nurse's54questions54addresses54an54important54contributor54to54successful54aging?
A) "Are54you54largely54free54of54acute54or54chronic54illnesses?"
B) "Do54you54feel54financially54secure?"
,C) "Do54you54feel54like54you54actively54engage54with54life?"
D) "Do54you54have54a54reliable54support54network?"54-54CORRECT54ANSWER54-Ans:54C
Research54has54indicated54that54an54active54engagement54with54life54is54central54to54successful54an
d54healthy54aging.54Absence54of54illness,54financial54security,54and54the54nature54of54a54person's54s
upport54network54are54not54identified54components54of54successful54aging.
3. An54older54adult54has54recently54begun54to54display54unprecedented54lapses54in54short-
term54memory.54The54nurse54overhears54a54colleague54reassuring54the54person54by54saying,54"Try54n
ot54to54worry;54it's54just54a54part54of54growing54older."54The54nurse54recognizes54that54this54is54an54
example54of54what54phenomenon?
A) Multiple54jeopardy
B) Gerontophobia
C) Age54attribution
D) Implicit54ageism54-54CORRECT54ANSWER54-Ans:54C
Age54attribution54is54the54act54of54attributing54a54problem54to54age54rather54than54to54a54pathology,54
as54in54the54colleague's54statement.54Multiple54jeopardy54is54the54compounding54of54discrimination54
based54on54factors54such54as54race54and54gender,54while54gerontophobia54is54the54fear54or54hatred54
of54older54people.54Implicit54ageism54is54the54unrecognized,54negative54perception54of54older54people.
4. A54nurse54hears54a54colleague54make54the54statement,54"Most54older54adults54have54nothing5
4to54worry54about54financially."54Which54of54the54following54responses54is54most54appropriate?
,A) "You54have54to54remember54that54there's54a54huge54economic54disparity54among54older54adults."
B) "Actually,54the54number54of54older54people54living54below54the54poverty54line54has54been5
4increasing,54not54decreasing."
C) "This54isn't54really54true54now,54but54it54is54true54that54the54gaps54that54disadvantaged54gr
oups54live54with54are54expected54to54shrink."
D) "This54is54true54for54some54groups,54but54not54for54minorities54who54are54less54likely54to54
be54living54with54their54relatives."54-54CORRECT54ANSWER54-Ans:54A
An54important54consideration54with54regard54to54economic54conditions54of54older54adults54is54the54tre
mendous54range54in54financial54status,54which54varies54significantly54according54to54race,54gender,54an
d54living54arrangements.54The54number54of54adults54living54below54the54poverty54line,54however,54has
54decreased54in54recent54years.54The54disparities54that54separate54disadvantaged54groups54from54mor
e54economically54secure54older54adults54are54predicted54to54persist.54Minorities54are54more54likely,54n
ot54less54likely,54to54be54living54with54their54relatives.
5. A54nurse54is54conducting54a54study54on54the54needs54and54living54situations54of54older54adults54
in54the54community.54Which54of54the54following54statements54should54the54nurse54take54into54ac
count?
A) A54majority54of54older54Americans54will54live54in54a54nursing54home54at54some54point.
B) More54older54men54live54alone54than54older54women.
C) Assisted54living54arrangements54have54become54increasingly54common.
D) Most54older54Americans54reside54in54some54form54of54institutional54arrangement.54-
54CORRECT54ANSWER54-Ans:54C
, Assisted54living54arrangements54have54become54an54increasingly54common54alternative54to54nursing54
homes.54The54number54of54Americans54living54in54nursing54homes54has54recently54decreased,54not54in
creased,54and54more54older54women54live54alone54than54do54older54men.54Ninety54percent54of54older5
4Americans54live54in54an54apartment54or54house,54rather54than54in54an54institutional54arrangement.
6. A54nurse54who54provides54care54to54many54older54adults54recognizes54the54importance54of54im
plementing54a54wellness54approach54to54care.54What54principle54underlies54this54approach54to54th
e54health54care54of54older54adults?
A) Older54adults54have54decreasing54expectations54for54wellness54as54they54move54through54the54aging54pr
ocess.
B) Health54problems54are54a54Western54cultural54construct54that54has54no54objective,54physiologic54basis.
C) Older54adults54must54come54to54accept54a54decline54in54wellness54as54they54age.
D) A54holistic54approach54to54caring54for54older54adults54can54foster54their54well-
being54at54every54stage54of54life.54-54CORRECT54ANSWER54-Ans:54D
An54integral54part54of54the54wellness54approach54to54the54health54care54of54older54adults54is54a54holist
ic54approach54to54care54that54considers54mind,54body,54and54spirit.54Health54problems54are54an54inevi
table54reality54but54a54decrease54in54wellness54does54not54necessarily54accompany54the54aging54proce
ss.
7. A54diabetes54nurse54is54providing54care54for54a5473-year-
old54client54who54is54a54regular54client54of54the54hospital's54out-
54client54diabetes54clinic.54What54assessment54question54most54clearly54addresses54this54client's54poten
tial54for54optimal54function?
A) "What54are54some54goals54that54you54have54for54maximizing54your54level54of54wellness?"
B) "How54can54we54help54you54to54take54ownership54of54your54own54health?"
GERONTOLOGY FINAL EXAM 54 54
1. A54nurse54is54discussing54an54older54adult's54recent54diagnosis54of54rheumatoid54arthritis54with54a54
colleague.54Which54of54the54nurse's54statements54reflects54an54accurate54view54of54the54relationship5
4between54aging54and54wellness?
A. "It's54important54that54the54individual54knows54this54is54an54expected54part54of54growing54older."
B. We54need54to54teach54the54older54adult54how54he54can54keep54living54a54fruitful54life54in54spite54of54his5
4diagnosis."
C) "We54need54to54make54sure54our54teaching54is54not54too54detailed54for54someone54of54his54age."
D) "We54need54to54ensure54his54expectations54of54continuing54to54live54alone54are54realistic."54-
54CORRECT54ANSWER54-54Ans:54B
Answer54B54reflects54a54desire54to54foster54a54fulfilling54and54productive54life54for54the54older54adult5
4despite54his54diagnosis,54and54reflects54an54understanding54of54wellness54and54aging.54Option54A54i
mplies54that54illness54is54an54inevitability54of54aging.54Option54C54suggests54that54older54adults54have5
4a54limited54capacity54to54learn54by54virtue54of54their54age,54and54option54D54implies54pessimism54abo
ut54the54health54and54functioning54of54the54older54adult.
2. A54nurse54is54teaching54an54older54person54about54the54concept54of54successful54aging.54Whic
h54of54the54nurse's54questions54addresses54an54important54contributor54to54successful54aging?
A) "Are54you54largely54free54of54acute54or54chronic54illnesses?"
B) "Do54you54feel54financially54secure?"
,C) "Do54you54feel54like54you54actively54engage54with54life?"
D) "Do54you54have54a54reliable54support54network?"54-54CORRECT54ANSWER54-Ans:54C
Research54has54indicated54that54an54active54engagement54with54life54is54central54to54successful54an
d54healthy54aging.54Absence54of54illness,54financial54security,54and54the54nature54of54a54person's54s
upport54network54are54not54identified54components54of54successful54aging.
3. An54older54adult54has54recently54begun54to54display54unprecedented54lapses54in54short-
term54memory.54The54nurse54overhears54a54colleague54reassuring54the54person54by54saying,54"Try54n
ot54to54worry;54it's54just54a54part54of54growing54older."54The54nurse54recognizes54that54this54is54an54
example54of54what54phenomenon?
A) Multiple54jeopardy
B) Gerontophobia
C) Age54attribution
D) Implicit54ageism54-54CORRECT54ANSWER54-Ans:54C
Age54attribution54is54the54act54of54attributing54a54problem54to54age54rather54than54to54a54pathology,54
as54in54the54colleague's54statement.54Multiple54jeopardy54is54the54compounding54of54discrimination54
based54on54factors54such54as54race54and54gender,54while54gerontophobia54is54the54fear54or54hatred54
of54older54people.54Implicit54ageism54is54the54unrecognized,54negative54perception54of54older54people.
4. A54nurse54hears54a54colleague54make54the54statement,54"Most54older54adults54have54nothing5
4to54worry54about54financially."54Which54of54the54following54responses54is54most54appropriate?
,A) "You54have54to54remember54that54there's54a54huge54economic54disparity54among54older54adults."
B) "Actually,54the54number54of54older54people54living54below54the54poverty54line54has54been5
4increasing,54not54decreasing."
C) "This54isn't54really54true54now,54but54it54is54true54that54the54gaps54that54disadvantaged54gr
oups54live54with54are54expected54to54shrink."
D) "This54is54true54for54some54groups,54but54not54for54minorities54who54are54less54likely54to54
be54living54with54their54relatives."54-54CORRECT54ANSWER54-Ans:54A
An54important54consideration54with54regard54to54economic54conditions54of54older54adults54is54the54tre
mendous54range54in54financial54status,54which54varies54significantly54according54to54race,54gender,54an
d54living54arrangements.54The54number54of54adults54living54below54the54poverty54line,54however,54has
54decreased54in54recent54years.54The54disparities54that54separate54disadvantaged54groups54from54mor
e54economically54secure54older54adults54are54predicted54to54persist.54Minorities54are54more54likely,54n
ot54less54likely,54to54be54living54with54their54relatives.
5. A54nurse54is54conducting54a54study54on54the54needs54and54living54situations54of54older54adults54
in54the54community.54Which54of54the54following54statements54should54the54nurse54take54into54ac
count?
A) A54majority54of54older54Americans54will54live54in54a54nursing54home54at54some54point.
B) More54older54men54live54alone54than54older54women.
C) Assisted54living54arrangements54have54become54increasingly54common.
D) Most54older54Americans54reside54in54some54form54of54institutional54arrangement.54-
54CORRECT54ANSWER54-Ans:54C
, Assisted54living54arrangements54have54become54an54increasingly54common54alternative54to54nursing54
homes.54The54number54of54Americans54living54in54nursing54homes54has54recently54decreased,54not54in
creased,54and54more54older54women54live54alone54than54do54older54men.54Ninety54percent54of54older5
4Americans54live54in54an54apartment54or54house,54rather54than54in54an54institutional54arrangement.
6. A54nurse54who54provides54care54to54many54older54adults54recognizes54the54importance54of54im
plementing54a54wellness54approach54to54care.54What54principle54underlies54this54approach54to54th
e54health54care54of54older54adults?
A) Older54adults54have54decreasing54expectations54for54wellness54as54they54move54through54the54aging54pr
ocess.
B) Health54problems54are54a54Western54cultural54construct54that54has54no54objective,54physiologic54basis.
C) Older54adults54must54come54to54accept54a54decline54in54wellness54as54they54age.
D) A54holistic54approach54to54caring54for54older54adults54can54foster54their54well-
being54at54every54stage54of54life.54-54CORRECT54ANSWER54-Ans:54D
An54integral54part54of54the54wellness54approach54to54the54health54care54of54older54adults54is54a54holist
ic54approach54to54care54that54considers54mind,54body,54and54spirit.54Health54problems54are54an54inevi
table54reality54but54a54decrease54in54wellness54does54not54necessarily54accompany54the54aging54proce
ss.
7. A54diabetes54nurse54is54providing54care54for54a5473-year-
old54client54who54is54a54regular54client54of54the54hospital's54out-
54client54diabetes54clinic.54What54assessment54question54most54clearly54addresses54this54client's54poten
tial54for54optimal54function?
A) "What54are54some54goals54that54you54have54for54maximizing54your54level54of54wellness?"
B) "How54can54we54help54you54to54take54ownership54of54your54own54health?"
