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. 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
4. 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
5. 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
6. Which assessment tool is specifically designed to identify pain in patients with advanced dementia who cannot self-report? → PAINAD (Pain Assessment in Advanced Dementia)
7. 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
8. 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
9. 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
10. A nurse is reviewing the medication list of an older adult using the STOPP criteria. STOPP stands for: → Screening Tool of Older Persons' Prescriptions
11. According to the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA), a score of 17 to 23.5 indicates which nutritional status? → At risk for malnutrition
12. The Timed Up and Go (TUG) test is used in gerontological nursing to assess: → Mobility, balance, and fall risk
13. Hip protector pads are a secondary fall prevention strategy designed to: → Reduce the risk of hip fracture if a fall does occur
14. 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
15. 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
16. Which complication of heart failure is most commonly assessed in older adults by monitoring daily weight? → Fluid retention and early decompensation
17. The gerontological nurse anticipates that following a stroke on the left side of the patient's brain, the patient may display: → Impaired speech
18. Which footwear recommendation is most appropriate for fall prevention in older adults? → Well-fitting, low-heeled shoes with non-slip soles
19. Which complication of long-term corticosteroid use in older adults requires routine bone health monitoring and preventive treatment? → Glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis and fracture risk
20. NSAIDs are generally considered inappropriate for older adults primarily because they increase risk of: → GI bleeding, renal impairment, and fluid retention
21. Which vitamin deficiency is most commonly associated with macrocytic anemia and peripheral neuropathy in older adults? → Vitamin B12
22. 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
23. Which laboratory value best reflects chronic protein-calorie malnutrition in an older adult? → Serum albumin
24. If a gerontological nurse neglects to notify a doctor of a significant change in a patient's status, this is referred to as: → Nonfeasance
25. 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
26. 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
27. 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
28. 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
29. Which age-related gastrointestinal change affects oral drug absorption in older adults? → Decreased splanchnic blood flow and delayed gastric emptying
30. The Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) is used in gerontological nursing primarily to: → Screen for and monitor cognitive impairment