NURS 401
NURS 401 Exam 3 Study Questions
with Verified Answers Graded A+ 2026
You have four rooms to choose from for your older client to be admitted this
afternoon. Which room would you choose?
a. A brightly lit, blue room with cozy throw rugs
b. An orange-carpeted room with soft lighting and yellow walls
c. A brightly lit, blue room with an EZ-Glide wax floor
d. A fluorescent-lighted room with green walls and a glossy, tiled floor
ANS: B
Light colors such as red, orange, and yellow are more easily seen by aging eyes.
Softer lighting will help reduce some of the glare and is also easier seen by aging
eyes. Fidelity of color is less accurate with the blues, greens, and violets of the
spectrum, and the slowed ability of the pupils to adjust to light makes glare a
problem. Glare can come from sunlight, but a brightly waxed floor and glossy tile
can also cause glare.
An older adult client shares with the nurse that, "I don't know what it is but it
seems that I need more light for reading or even watching television as I get older."
The nurse explains that aging may cause this change due to the:
a. Slower ability of the pupil to adjust to changes in lighting.
b. Impact arcus senilis has on visual acuity
c. Flattening and thinning of the cornea.
d. Retinal changes that begin to occur with aging.
ANS: A
A slowed ability of the pupil to accommodate to changes in light accounts for the
need of this patient to have more light in order to read. Arcus senilis does not affect
vision. It is true that the cornea becomes flatter and thinner with aging, which
results in astigmatism. Astigmatism does not account for the need for increased
NURS 401
,NURS 401
light that this patient is reporting. The changes in the retina do not account for the
need for increased light that this patient is reporting.
A 77-year-old client being treated for glaucoma asks the nurse what causes
glaucoma. The nurse's response is:
a. The exact etiology of glaucoma is variable and often unknown.
b. Spasms of the orbicular muscle.
c. Changes to the suspensory ligaments, ciliary muscles, and parasympathetic
nerves.
d. Bits of broken coalesced vitreous from the peripheral or central part of the
retina.
ANS: A
The etiology of glaucoma is variable and often unknown. However, when the
natural fluids of the eye are blocked by ciliary muscle rigidity and the buildup of
pressure, damage to the optic nerve occurs. Spasms of the orbicular muscle can
cause the lower lid to turn inward. If it stays this way, it is called entropion. The
changes described contribute to decreased accommodation. Bits of coalesced
vitreous that have broken off from the peripheral or central part of the retina is the
definition of floaters.
An older man tells a nurse, "The doctor says I have something wrong with my
eyes, something called presbyopia. Can you explain why I have this? I was always
fortunate to have good eyesight." The nurse formulates a response based on the
knowledge that:
a. The lens of the eye loses elasticity causing a loss of focus for near objects.
b. The cornea of the eye becomes thicker and less curved causing an increase in
astigmatism.
c. The lens of the eye increases in opacity causing a decrease in light refraction.
d. The cornea of the eye forms a gray ring at the edges.
ANS: A
Presbyopia is the loss of focus for near objects, caused by a loss of elasticity and
NURS 401
,NURS 401
hence a loss of accommodation of the lens of the eye. All of the other options are
normal age-related changes; however, they are not related to presbyopia.
An older resident in a long-term care facility reports to the nurse that she has been
noticing changes in her vision, including the appearance of halos around objects
and a yellow tint to most objects. The nurse knows that these complaints are most
often associated with:
a. Cataracts.
b. Glaucoma.
c. Diabetic retinopathy.
d. Age-related macular degeneration.
ANS: A
Signs of cataracts include the appearance of halos around objects as light is
diffused, blurring, decreased perception of light and color giving a yellow tint to
most objects, and a sensitivity to glare.
An older patient reports the following symptoms to a nurse during a routine visit to
the geriatric clinic: blurry vision, the need for more light when reading, and blind
spots in the middle of his visual field. He also states, "Strangely enough my
peripheral vision continues to be pretty good." The nurse suspects that the patient
has which of the following?
a. Glaucoma
b. Age related macular degeneration
c. Diabetic retinopathy
d. Cataracts
ANS: B
Blurry vision, needing more light, and blind spots in the middle of the visual field
(scotomas) are all characteristics of age related macular degeneration. The other
three eye diseases do not present with these symptoms.
NURS 401
, NURS 401
A nurse is providing glaucoma education for a group of older adults in a senior
center. The nurse knows that the following groups are most likely to develop
glaucoma. (Select all that apply.)
a. African Americans
b. Mexican Americans
c. Individuals with a family history of glaucoma
d. Individuals with diabetes
e. Asian Americans
ANS: A, B, C, D
African Americans are at risk of developing glaucoma at an earlier age than other
racial and ethnic groups. Mexican Americans, individuals with a family history of
glaucoma, and individuals with diabetes are among the other high-risk groups.
Asian Americans are more likely to lose eyesight from age-related macular
degeneration than other groups.
A nurse is performing preoperative teaching for an older adult who is scheduled to
have a cataract extraction and lens implant. The nurse includes which of the
following in the teaching plan? (Select all that apply.)
a. Avoid lifting heavy objects after the surgery
b. Avoid bending from the waist after the surgery
c. Take stool softeners as needed
d. Maintain strict control of your blood sugar and blood pressure
e. Maintain a dry sterile dressing over the eye for 10 days
ANS: A, B, C
Postcataract surgery the individual needs to avoid heavy lifting, straining, and
bending from the waist. Fall prevention is also very important as is complying with
eye drop administration. Maintaining strict blood sugar and blood pressure control
is most important for diabetic retinopathy, not cataract extraction. There usually is
not a dressing over the operative site, and not for 10 days.
NURS 401
NURS 401 Exam 3 Study Questions
with Verified Answers Graded A+ 2026
You have four rooms to choose from for your older client to be admitted this
afternoon. Which room would you choose?
a. A brightly lit, blue room with cozy throw rugs
b. An orange-carpeted room with soft lighting and yellow walls
c. A brightly lit, blue room with an EZ-Glide wax floor
d. A fluorescent-lighted room with green walls and a glossy, tiled floor
ANS: B
Light colors such as red, orange, and yellow are more easily seen by aging eyes.
Softer lighting will help reduce some of the glare and is also easier seen by aging
eyes. Fidelity of color is less accurate with the blues, greens, and violets of the
spectrum, and the slowed ability of the pupils to adjust to light makes glare a
problem. Glare can come from sunlight, but a brightly waxed floor and glossy tile
can also cause glare.
An older adult client shares with the nurse that, "I don't know what it is but it
seems that I need more light for reading or even watching television as I get older."
The nurse explains that aging may cause this change due to the:
a. Slower ability of the pupil to adjust to changes in lighting.
b. Impact arcus senilis has on visual acuity
c. Flattening and thinning of the cornea.
d. Retinal changes that begin to occur with aging.
ANS: A
A slowed ability of the pupil to accommodate to changes in light accounts for the
need of this patient to have more light in order to read. Arcus senilis does not affect
vision. It is true that the cornea becomes flatter and thinner with aging, which
results in astigmatism. Astigmatism does not account for the need for increased
NURS 401
,NURS 401
light that this patient is reporting. The changes in the retina do not account for the
need for increased light that this patient is reporting.
A 77-year-old client being treated for glaucoma asks the nurse what causes
glaucoma. The nurse's response is:
a. The exact etiology of glaucoma is variable and often unknown.
b. Spasms of the orbicular muscle.
c. Changes to the suspensory ligaments, ciliary muscles, and parasympathetic
nerves.
d. Bits of broken coalesced vitreous from the peripheral or central part of the
retina.
ANS: A
The etiology of glaucoma is variable and often unknown. However, when the
natural fluids of the eye are blocked by ciliary muscle rigidity and the buildup of
pressure, damage to the optic nerve occurs. Spasms of the orbicular muscle can
cause the lower lid to turn inward. If it stays this way, it is called entropion. The
changes described contribute to decreased accommodation. Bits of coalesced
vitreous that have broken off from the peripheral or central part of the retina is the
definition of floaters.
An older man tells a nurse, "The doctor says I have something wrong with my
eyes, something called presbyopia. Can you explain why I have this? I was always
fortunate to have good eyesight." The nurse formulates a response based on the
knowledge that:
a. The lens of the eye loses elasticity causing a loss of focus for near objects.
b. The cornea of the eye becomes thicker and less curved causing an increase in
astigmatism.
c. The lens of the eye increases in opacity causing a decrease in light refraction.
d. The cornea of the eye forms a gray ring at the edges.
ANS: A
Presbyopia is the loss of focus for near objects, caused by a loss of elasticity and
NURS 401
,NURS 401
hence a loss of accommodation of the lens of the eye. All of the other options are
normal age-related changes; however, they are not related to presbyopia.
An older resident in a long-term care facility reports to the nurse that she has been
noticing changes in her vision, including the appearance of halos around objects
and a yellow tint to most objects. The nurse knows that these complaints are most
often associated with:
a. Cataracts.
b. Glaucoma.
c. Diabetic retinopathy.
d. Age-related macular degeneration.
ANS: A
Signs of cataracts include the appearance of halos around objects as light is
diffused, blurring, decreased perception of light and color giving a yellow tint to
most objects, and a sensitivity to glare.
An older patient reports the following symptoms to a nurse during a routine visit to
the geriatric clinic: blurry vision, the need for more light when reading, and blind
spots in the middle of his visual field. He also states, "Strangely enough my
peripheral vision continues to be pretty good." The nurse suspects that the patient
has which of the following?
a. Glaucoma
b. Age related macular degeneration
c. Diabetic retinopathy
d. Cataracts
ANS: B
Blurry vision, needing more light, and blind spots in the middle of the visual field
(scotomas) are all characteristics of age related macular degeneration. The other
three eye diseases do not present with these symptoms.
NURS 401
, NURS 401
A nurse is providing glaucoma education for a group of older adults in a senior
center. The nurse knows that the following groups are most likely to develop
glaucoma. (Select all that apply.)
a. African Americans
b. Mexican Americans
c. Individuals with a family history of glaucoma
d. Individuals with diabetes
e. Asian Americans
ANS: A, B, C, D
African Americans are at risk of developing glaucoma at an earlier age than other
racial and ethnic groups. Mexican Americans, individuals with a family history of
glaucoma, and individuals with diabetes are among the other high-risk groups.
Asian Americans are more likely to lose eyesight from age-related macular
degeneration than other groups.
A nurse is performing preoperative teaching for an older adult who is scheduled to
have a cataract extraction and lens implant. The nurse includes which of the
following in the teaching plan? (Select all that apply.)
a. Avoid lifting heavy objects after the surgery
b. Avoid bending from the waist after the surgery
c. Take stool softeners as needed
d. Maintain strict control of your blood sugar and blood pressure
e. Maintain a dry sterile dressing over the eye for 10 days
ANS: A, B, C
Postcataract surgery the individual needs to avoid heavy lifting, straining, and
bending from the waist. Fall prevention is also very important as is complying with
eye drop administration. Maintaining strict blood sugar and blood pressure control
is most important for diabetic retinopathy, not cataract extraction. There usually is
not a dressing over the operative site, and not for 10 days.
NURS 401
