Gerontological Nursing Flashcards

Which of the following SSRIs may have a longer half-life that causes agitation, sleeplessness, and anorexia in older adults?

Answer: Fluoxetine

Older adults who need an SSRI should be prescribed a different one, such as paroxetine, duloxetine, or sertraline, as fluoxetine may have an extended half-life that might cause agitation, sleeplessness, and anorexia. The starting dosage should be low and then gradually increased if necessary because older persons are more sensitive to SSRIs than younger adults.

A patient underwent colon resection and colostomy surgery, but in the six hours after returning from the recovery room to his room on the surgical unit, he has not asked for any pain medicine. The geriatric nurse should presume the following about the patient:

Answer: Is reluctant to complain of pain

It's conceivable the patient is reluctant to report their pain. The gerontological nurse should ask the patient to rate or describe his pain rather than asking if they are in pain because some patients may have cultural, social, or familial stigmas about showing pain or seeking pain relief.

The unit is so noisy during the day, and the patient complains to the gerontological nurse that she is frequently awakened during the night for treatments. Which of the following best exemplifies a team effort to meet the patient's needs?

Answer: “Let’s talk about ways to allow you to get more rest.”

The most collaborative response is one that includes ""you"": ""Let's talk about ways to allow you to get more rest."" The patient has a valid worry and should be encouraged to contribute rather than the nurse merely expressing a solution or lack of solution. Sometimes, rearranging the schedule for drugs or treatments can help to solve the problem. Even if there isn't a true remedy, talking with the patient about the problem can at least make her feel like her concerns are taken seriously.

The gerontological nurse made a note in the patient's plan of care that the patient has specified he does not want to be revived in the case of a life-threatening event, but she did not get a doctor's DNR order. If a distant relative is present when the patient experiences cardiac arrest, the personnel should:

Answer: Carry out resuscitation efforts.

Due to the fact that a DNR order must be granted by the doctor and be a part of the medical orders, the staff members should perform resuscitation procedures. When the patient didn't want resuscitation, the gerontological nurse should have gone to the doctor and demanded an order.

In accordance with the patient's advance request, the family of a severely ill patient has decided to withdraw all care and feedings. Although the gerontological nurse strongly disagrees with the decision to remove life support, she supports the patient's family nonetheless, offers only comfort measures, and directs the patient's family to hospice. According to the nurse, this is an illustration of:

Answer: Advocacy

Working for the patient's best interests despite competing personal ideals and facilitating access to the right resources are both aspects of advocacy. Agency is the capacity for transparency, problem-solving, and issue awareness. The capacity to identify needs and take action to affect a conflict's or decision's outcome is known as moral agency. The ethical rule that governs how society's finite supply of healthcare benefits is distributed is called justice. Fair distribution of these assets is necessary.

Which of the following behaviors might be seen as an infringement on a patient's privacy?

Answer: Allowing a visiting student nurse to observe a patient’s wound care

Allowing a visiting student nurse to witness a patient's wound care is a practice that can be regarded as invading their privacy, especially if the patient didn't consent or didn't think it was appropriate to decline (leading in coercion). Patients are told about the prospect of receiving care from students at the time of admission in healthcare organizations that use student healthcare personnel (student nurses, interns, and residents).

The gerontological nurse wants to make adjustments, but staff members are opposed because they believe the burden will rise. The ideal strategy is to:

Answer: Explain the rationale and benefits of change.

The best course of action in this situation is to explain the justification and advantages of the change. Additionally, it's a good idea to start with simple adjustments that the employees can readily see the results of. In the beginning, the gerontological nurse should work to win over a select group of influential people's cooperation.