,Gerontological Nursing, 4e
Chapter 1 - Principles of Gerontology
1) The nurse is preparing to discharge an older client with instructions on smoking cessation. The
nurse states to a colleague, "This client has been smoking for years and isn't going to stop now."
Which negative stereotype of aging does the nurse's statement most reflect?
1. Old people are expected to be sick.
2. Old people are set in their ways.
3. Old people do not value health promotion education.
4. Old people are a drain on societal resources.
Answer: 3
Explanation: 1. Many older adults have chronic disease but function well.
2. Often people characterize the elderly in a negative way, believing that after a certain age,
things cannot be changed. Older people can learn new things and take up new hobbies they can
enjoy and give life meaning and pleasure.
3. Although it may not be possible to reverse all the damage, it is never too late to stop smoking
cigarettes. People who quit smoking at an older age enjoy better health outcomes.
4. Older people contribute greatly to society by volunteering, helping with grandchildren,
mentoring others, and continue working.
Page Ref: 4
Cognitive Level: Applying
Client Need: Health Promotion and Maintenance
Client Need Sub: High-Risk Behaviors
Nurs/Integ Conc.: Nursing Process: Planning
Learning Outcome: 3. Identify common myths of aging and their contribution to ageism.
2) The nurse is planning to conduct education for older adult clients regarding preventative
health screenings. Which type of screening does the nurse anticipate educating this population
on?
1. Glaucoma
2. Nutrition
3. An annual mammogram
4. Prostate-specific antigen
Answer: 3
Explanation: 1. A glaucoma screening is recommended annually for those at risk for glaucoma.
2. Nutritional assessment and counseling are encouraged for those with diabetes or renal disease.
3. The nurse will discuss the importance of annual mammograms. Older women are the fastest
growing population in the United States.
4. A prostate-specific antigen is recommended yearly for men under the age of 70.
Page Ref: 7
Cognitive Level: Analyzing
Client Need: Health Promotion and Maintenance
Client Need Sub: Health Screening
Nurs/Integ Conc.: Nursing Process: Planning
Learning Outcome: 1. Interpret demographic data according to race, gender, and age.
,3) While completing an admission assessment, the nurse learns that a female adult patient has
smoked a pack of cigarettes daily for 20 years and works at a chemical plant. From this
information, what is this patient most at risk for?
1. Decline in muscle mass
2. Nutritional deficiencies
3. Depression and social isolation
4. Occupational hazard shortening life expectancy
Answer: 4
Explanation: 1. While muscle mass does naturally decline in older adults, there is no indication
that she is not physically active.
2. In older adults, adequate nutrition can be a concern, yet there is no indication that she is not
adequately nourished.
3. In older adults, depression and social isolation are a risk, yet there is no indication that she is
not socially active.
4. Exposure to occupational risk factors has been known to affect life expectancy in men and will
have the same effect on women given similar circumstances.
Page Ref: 8-17
Cognitive Level: Analyzing
Client Need: Health Promotion and Maintenance
Client Need Sub: High-Risk Behaviors
Nurs/Integ Conc.: Nursing Process: Diagnosis
Learning Outcome: 2. Relate leading causes of morbidity and mortality among older adults.
4) The nurse is caring for an older adult with a chronic disease. Which is reflective of a tertiary
intervention to help slow down the progression of the client's illness?
1. Assess the client's mobility
2. Integrate physical therapy
3. Discuss injury-prevention measures within the home
4. Obtain a referral for occupational therapy
Answer: 2
Explanation: 1. Assessment of the client's mobility is reflective of secondary prevention.
2. The integration of physical therapy for a client with chronic disease reflects a tertiary
intervention to promote restoration and prevent or slow down further debilitation.
3. Discussing injury prevention is health promotion or primary prevention.
4. Obtaining a referral for an occupational therapist reflects a secondary measure of prevention in
which there is an early diagnosis and prompt treatment.
Page Ref: 9
Cognitive Level: Applying
Client Need: Physiological Integrity
Client Need Sub: Reduction of Risk Potential
Nurs/Integ Conc.: Nursing Process: Assessment
Learning Outcome: 4. Describe the effects of chronic disease.
, 5) The nurse is caring for an older client with heart disease that is experiencing fatigue. Which
will the nurse initially implement to enhance the overall quality of life and functional ability of
the client?
1. Assess the need for assistive devices
2. Provide education on health screenings
3. Reinforce the importance of rehabilitation
4. Instruct the client on techniques for self-management
Answer: 3
Explanation: 1. Assistive devices may be necessary to increase the independence of the client.
The assessment for an assistive device occurs during the rehabilitation time.
2. Education regarding health screenings focuses on prevention of disease.
3. Rehabilitation after a chronic illness can enhance the quality of life and functional ability of
the client. Managing chronic fatigue that occurs with heart disease can require rehabilitation.
4. Techniques of self-management can reduce pain and cost of chronic disease by teaching the
client to manage their own chronic condition.
Page Ref: 8-13
Cognitive Level: Applying
Client Need: Psychosocial Integrity
Client Need Sub: Support Systems
Nurs/Integ Conc.: Nursing Process: Planning
Learning Outcome: 4. Describe the effects of chronic disease.
6) The nurse is assessing an older female patient admitted to the hospital for generalized
weakness and a cough. Which assessment findings indicate normal changes of aging? Select all
that apply.
1. Blood pressure of 160/90
2. Needing to urinate every 3 hours
3. Needing to wear eye glasses for reading
4. Pulse rate 110 bpm
5. Respiratory rate 22 per minute after walking a short distance
Answer: 2, 3, 5
Explanation: 1. Even though the arteries stiffen with age, an elevation in blood pressure needs to
be investigated and not assumed that it is a normal change related to aging.
2. With aging, bladder capacity declines. Needing to urinate every 3 hours would be evidence of
reduced bladder capacity.
3. With aging, difficulty focusing up close would necessitate the need for reading glasses. This
would be considered a normal change with aging.
4. Even though the heart muscle thickens with age, a pulse rate of 110 needs to be investigated
and not assumed that it is a normal change related to aging.
5. Maximum breathing capacity may decline by about 40% between the ages of 40 and 70. A
respiratory rate of 22 per minute after walking a short distance can be considered a normal
change related to aging.
Page Ref: 17
Cognitive Level: Analyzing
Client Need: Health Promotion and Maintenance
Client Need Sub: Aging Process
Nurs/Integ Conc.: Nursing Process: Assessment
Learning Outcome: 5. Contrast several major theories of aging.
Chapter 1 - Principles of Gerontology
1) The nurse is preparing to discharge an older client with instructions on smoking cessation. The
nurse states to a colleague, "This client has been smoking for years and isn't going to stop now."
Which negative stereotype of aging does the nurse's statement most reflect?
1. Old people are expected to be sick.
2. Old people are set in their ways.
3. Old people do not value health promotion education.
4. Old people are a drain on societal resources.
Answer: 3
Explanation: 1. Many older adults have chronic disease but function well.
2. Often people characterize the elderly in a negative way, believing that after a certain age,
things cannot be changed. Older people can learn new things and take up new hobbies they can
enjoy and give life meaning and pleasure.
3. Although it may not be possible to reverse all the damage, it is never too late to stop smoking
cigarettes. People who quit smoking at an older age enjoy better health outcomes.
4. Older people contribute greatly to society by volunteering, helping with grandchildren,
mentoring others, and continue working.
Page Ref: 4
Cognitive Level: Applying
Client Need: Health Promotion and Maintenance
Client Need Sub: High-Risk Behaviors
Nurs/Integ Conc.: Nursing Process: Planning
Learning Outcome: 3. Identify common myths of aging and their contribution to ageism.
2) The nurse is planning to conduct education for older adult clients regarding preventative
health screenings. Which type of screening does the nurse anticipate educating this population
on?
1. Glaucoma
2. Nutrition
3. An annual mammogram
4. Prostate-specific antigen
Answer: 3
Explanation: 1. A glaucoma screening is recommended annually for those at risk for glaucoma.
2. Nutritional assessment and counseling are encouraged for those with diabetes or renal disease.
3. The nurse will discuss the importance of annual mammograms. Older women are the fastest
growing population in the United States.
4. A prostate-specific antigen is recommended yearly for men under the age of 70.
Page Ref: 7
Cognitive Level: Analyzing
Client Need: Health Promotion and Maintenance
Client Need Sub: Health Screening
Nurs/Integ Conc.: Nursing Process: Planning
Learning Outcome: 1. Interpret demographic data according to race, gender, and age.
,3) While completing an admission assessment, the nurse learns that a female adult patient has
smoked a pack of cigarettes daily for 20 years and works at a chemical plant. From this
information, what is this patient most at risk for?
1. Decline in muscle mass
2. Nutritional deficiencies
3. Depression and social isolation
4. Occupational hazard shortening life expectancy
Answer: 4
Explanation: 1. While muscle mass does naturally decline in older adults, there is no indication
that she is not physically active.
2. In older adults, adequate nutrition can be a concern, yet there is no indication that she is not
adequately nourished.
3. In older adults, depression and social isolation are a risk, yet there is no indication that she is
not socially active.
4. Exposure to occupational risk factors has been known to affect life expectancy in men and will
have the same effect on women given similar circumstances.
Page Ref: 8-17
Cognitive Level: Analyzing
Client Need: Health Promotion and Maintenance
Client Need Sub: High-Risk Behaviors
Nurs/Integ Conc.: Nursing Process: Diagnosis
Learning Outcome: 2. Relate leading causes of morbidity and mortality among older adults.
4) The nurse is caring for an older adult with a chronic disease. Which is reflective of a tertiary
intervention to help slow down the progression of the client's illness?
1. Assess the client's mobility
2. Integrate physical therapy
3. Discuss injury-prevention measures within the home
4. Obtain a referral for occupational therapy
Answer: 2
Explanation: 1. Assessment of the client's mobility is reflective of secondary prevention.
2. The integration of physical therapy for a client with chronic disease reflects a tertiary
intervention to promote restoration and prevent or slow down further debilitation.
3. Discussing injury prevention is health promotion or primary prevention.
4. Obtaining a referral for an occupational therapist reflects a secondary measure of prevention in
which there is an early diagnosis and prompt treatment.
Page Ref: 9
Cognitive Level: Applying
Client Need: Physiological Integrity
Client Need Sub: Reduction of Risk Potential
Nurs/Integ Conc.: Nursing Process: Assessment
Learning Outcome: 4. Describe the effects of chronic disease.
, 5) The nurse is caring for an older client with heart disease that is experiencing fatigue. Which
will the nurse initially implement to enhance the overall quality of life and functional ability of
the client?
1. Assess the need for assistive devices
2. Provide education on health screenings
3. Reinforce the importance of rehabilitation
4. Instruct the client on techniques for self-management
Answer: 3
Explanation: 1. Assistive devices may be necessary to increase the independence of the client.
The assessment for an assistive device occurs during the rehabilitation time.
2. Education regarding health screenings focuses on prevention of disease.
3. Rehabilitation after a chronic illness can enhance the quality of life and functional ability of
the client. Managing chronic fatigue that occurs with heart disease can require rehabilitation.
4. Techniques of self-management can reduce pain and cost of chronic disease by teaching the
client to manage their own chronic condition.
Page Ref: 8-13
Cognitive Level: Applying
Client Need: Psychosocial Integrity
Client Need Sub: Support Systems
Nurs/Integ Conc.: Nursing Process: Planning
Learning Outcome: 4. Describe the effects of chronic disease.
6) The nurse is assessing an older female patient admitted to the hospital for generalized
weakness and a cough. Which assessment findings indicate normal changes of aging? Select all
that apply.
1. Blood pressure of 160/90
2. Needing to urinate every 3 hours
3. Needing to wear eye glasses for reading
4. Pulse rate 110 bpm
5. Respiratory rate 22 per minute after walking a short distance
Answer: 2, 3, 5
Explanation: 1. Even though the arteries stiffen with age, an elevation in blood pressure needs to
be investigated and not assumed that it is a normal change related to aging.
2. With aging, bladder capacity declines. Needing to urinate every 3 hours would be evidence of
reduced bladder capacity.
3. With aging, difficulty focusing up close would necessitate the need for reading glasses. This
would be considered a normal change with aging.
4. Even though the heart muscle thickens with age, a pulse rate of 110 needs to be investigated
and not assumed that it is a normal change related to aging.
5. Maximum breathing capacity may decline by about 40% between the ages of 40 and 70. A
respiratory rate of 22 per minute after walking a short distance can be considered a normal
change related to aging.
Page Ref: 17
Cognitive Level: Analyzing
Client Need: Health Promotion and Maintenance
Client Need Sub: Aging Process
Nurs/Integ Conc.: Nursing Process: Assessment
Learning Outcome: 5. Contrast several major theories of aging.
