Gerontological Nurse Test Cheat Sheet 2026

The 30 highest-yield Gerontological Nurse Test facts, distilled from real exam questions. Print it, save it as a PDF, or study it here — free, no sign-up.

1. The American Cancer Society advises: If a 65-year-old patient has prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels of 3.0 ng/mL: → Testing every year
2. Which intervention is the MOST important to include in the care plan for a patient with dementia who is at high risk for wandering? → Environmental modifications with door alarms and secured exits
3. Which clinical sign is most reliable for assessing dehydration in older adults when skin turgor is unreliable due to normal age-related changes? → Dry axillae
4. An older adult with COPD is prescribed a long-acting bronchodilator. The nurse recognizes that the primary goals of COPD management in older adults include: → Symptom relief, prevention of exacerbations, and maintaining functional independence
5. Which finding in an older adult with diabetes indicates peripheral neuropathy and increased risk for diabetic foot complications? → Loss of protective sensation detected by 10-gram monofilament testing
6. A patient at end of life expresses spiritual distress and asks the nurse, 'Why is God doing this to me?' The nurse's most therapeutic response is to: → Listen attentively, acknowledge the distress, and offer to arrange a chaplain visit
7. Which assessment tool is specifically designed to identify pain in patients with advanced dementia who cannot self-report? → PAINAD (Pain Assessment in Advanced Dementia)
8. Which assessment finding in an older adult requires the nurse to immediately implement fall precautions beyond universal measures? → Patient scores 45 or above on the Morse Fall Scale
9. Which non-pharmacological intervention can help manage dyspnea (breathlessness) in a dying patient? → Positioning a small fan to direct airflow across the patient's face
10. A gerontological nurse is educating a patient about digoxin therapy. Which sign of digoxin toxicity should the patient report immediately? → Visual disturbances such as yellow-green halos
11. A nurse is reviewing the medication list of an older adult using the STOPP criteria. STOPP stands for: → Screening Tool of Older Persons' Prescriptions
12. According to the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA), a score of 17 to 23.5 indicates which nutritional status? → At risk for malnutrition
13. The Timed Up and Go (TUG) test is used in gerontological nursing to assess: → Mobility, balance, and fall risk
14. Hip protector pads are a secondary fall prevention strategy designed to: → Reduce the risk of hip fracture if a fall does occur
15. A nurse is supporting a family whose loved one died in the hospital. Which action best demonstrates compassionate end-of-life nursing care? → Allowing the family adequate private time with the deceased and offering condolences
16. In the DETERMINE nutritional risk checklist used with older adults, the letter 'D' stands for which risk factor? → Disease
17. Under the Medicare Hospice Benefit in the United States, a patient must have a life expectancy of how long to qualify for hospice enrollment? → 6 months or less if the disease runs its natural course
18. Which complication of heart failure is most commonly assessed in older adults by monitoring daily weight? → Fluid retention and early decompensation
19. The gerontological nurse anticipates that following a stroke on the left side of the patient's brain, the patient may display: → Impaired speech
20. Which footwear recommendation is most appropriate for fall prevention in older adults? → Well-fitting, low-heeled shoes with non-slip soles
21. Which complication of long-term corticosteroid use in older adults requires routine bone health monitoring and preventive treatment? → Glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis and fracture risk
22. NSAIDs are generally considered inappropriate for older adults primarily because they increase risk of: → GI bleeding, renal impairment, and fluid retention
23. Which vitamin deficiency is most commonly associated with macrocytic anemia and peripheral neuropathy in older adults? → Vitamin B12
24. Which laboratory value is the most reliable indicator of renal function for dosing medications in older adults? → Creatinine clearance calculated using the Cockcroft-Gault equation
25. Which laboratory value best reflects chronic protein-calorie malnutrition in an older adult? → Serum albumin
26. If a gerontological nurse neglects to notify a doctor of a significant change in a patient's status, this is referred to as: → Nonfeasance
27. Orthostatic hypotension is a significant fall risk factor in older adults. It is defined as a drop of at least: → 20 mmHg systolic or 10 mmHg diastolic within 3 minutes of standing
28. A nurse is implementing universal fall precautions for all hospitalized older adults. Which intervention is a component of universal fall precautions? → Ensuring call lights are within reach and beds are in the lowest position
29. A gerontological nurse is reviewing an older adult's medications and notes decreased serum albumin. What is the primary clinical concern? → Increased free (unbound) drug concentration leading to toxicity
30. A nurse is caring for a patient with vascular dementia. Which risk factor most directly contributes to the development of this type of dementia? → Cerebrovascular disease and multiple small strokes