PCT Care of Special Populations (Geriatric, Dementia and Pediatric Patients) — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A patient with Alzheimer's disease becomes agitated and insists on going home. What is the best approach?
- Argue and correct them firmly with the facts
- Restrain the patient to prevent wandering
- Stay calm, validate their feelings, and redirect them to a soothing activity (Correct answer)
- Leave the patient alone until they calm down
Correct answer: Stay calm, validate their feelings, and redirect them to a soothing activity
Arguing with a person who has dementia usually makes agitation worse. Validation means acknowledging their feelings. Combined with gentle redirection to a calming activity, it lowers distress and keeps them safe.
Question 2: What is "sundowning" in patients with dementia?
- Better alertness in the late afternoon
- Increased confusion, restlessness or agitation in the late afternoon and evening (Correct answer)
- Sleeping only during daylight hours
- Sensitivity to sunlight caused by medications
Correct answer: Increased confusion, restlessness or agitation in the late afternoon and evening
Sundowning is worse confusion, agitation or wandering in the late afternoon and evening. A calm, well-lit environment and a steady routine can help reduce it.
Question 3: Which normal age-related change raises an older adult's risk of falls?
- Increased muscle mass
- Slower reaction time and reduced balance (Correct answer)
- Faster nerve conduction
- Improved night vision
Correct answer: Slower reaction time and reduced balance
Normal aging brings slower reaction time, reduced balance, weaker muscles and poorer vision. Together these raise fall risk. Non-skid footwear, good lighting and a clear path help prevent falls.
Question 4: What is the best way for a PCT to communicate with a patient who has a hearing impairment?
- Shout loudly into the patient's ear
- Face the patient, speak clearly at a normal or slightly louder volume, and cut down background noise (Correct answer)
- Speak quickly so the conversation is short
- Talk to the patient from behind so as not to startle them
Correct answer: Face the patient, speak clearly at a normal or slightly louder volume, and cut down background noise
Facing the patient lets them lip-read and see facial expressions. Clear speech, a slightly lower pitch and less background noise help understanding. Shouting distorts sound and can come across as aggressive.
Question 5: What is the normal resting heart rate range for a healthy adult?
- 40 to 60 beats per minute
- 60 to 100 beats per minute (Correct answer)
- 100 to 140 beats per minute
- 140 to 160 beats per minute
Correct answer: 60 to 100 beats per minute
A normal adult resting heart rate is 60 to 100 bpm. Infants and young children normally have faster heart rates, such as about 100 to 160 bpm for infants. PCTs need to know age-appropriate normal ranges to spot abnormal findings in different populations.
Question 6: Which approach works best for helping a frightened young child cooperate with a procedure?
- Give a long technical explanation
- Use simple, honest words, let a parent stay when possible, and offer limited choices (Correct answer)
- Tell the child it won't hurt even if it will
- Do the procedure without explaining it, to save time
Correct answer: Use simple, honest words, let a parent stay when possible, and offer limited choices
Simple, age-appropriate honesty builds trust. Having a parent present comforts the child. Limited choices, such as "Which arm?", give the child a sense of control. Lying about pain damages trust.
