21 - Living Well with Chronic Illness Flashcards
An older man who is a smoker is hospitalized for orthopedic surgery. A nurse takes the opportunity to provide smoking cessation education. The patient asks the nurse: “I have been smoking for most of my life, and I am an old man. Why are you wasting your time telling me to stop smoking? Isn’t it too late?” The nurse bases the response on the knowledge that:
a. ) smoking cessation as late as age 75 can reduce premature death by up to 50%.
b. ) smoking cessation as late as age 75 can completely eliminate premature death.
c. ) smoking cessation at a late age will not impact the smoker but can reduce exposure of family members to second-hand smoke.
d. ) smoking cessation education is only effective in individuals under age 75.
a.) smoking cessation as late as age 75 can reduce premature death by up to 50%.
Smoking cessation as late as age 75 can reduce premature death by up to 50%. The remaining options are not true.
A nurse cares for an older adult who is described as being “frail.” The nurse understands that in order to be characterized as frail an individual must possess which of the following characteristics? (Select all that apply.)
a. ) Slow walking speed
b. ) Low activity level
c. ) Self-reported exhaustion
d. ) Taking at least five prescribed medications
e. ) A diagnosis of at least two chronic conditions
a, b, c
a.) Slow walking speed
b.) Low activity level
c.) Self-reported exhaustion
Frailty is defined as evidence of three of the following: unexplained weight loss, self-reported exhaustion, weak grip strength, slow walking speed, and low activity.
Neither the number of medications that an individual is prescribed nor the number of chronic conditions is part of the diagnosis of frailty.
A major difference in the diagnosis of chronic disease between younger adults and older adults is that:
a. ) chronic disease is often diagnosed earlier in younger adults and measures can be implemented to prevent later problems.
b. ) chronic disease is often diagnosed earlier in older adults since they are more likely to seek medical care.
c. ) chronic disease is usually not identified in older adults because of the many age- related changes.
d. ) chronic illness is uncommon in younger adults.
a.) chronic disease is often diagnosed earlier in younger adults and measures can be implemented to prevent later problems.
In a younger adult, the early signs of a pending chronic disease may be identified early enough to prevent later problems (e.g., a finding of an elevated cholesterol level).
In older adults, a chronic disease may not be diagnosed until some amount of “end organ damage” has already occurred. For example, diabetic retinopathy may be found during an annual eye examination indicating that the diabetes has been present for some time.
Although there are many age-related changes in the older adult, it is still possible to identify chronic illness.
Chronic illness is common in younger adults, although it is more common in older adults.
The role of a nurse caring for an older patient who is in the stable phase of a chronic illness may include which of the following? (Select all that apply.)
a. ) Coordinating care with members of the interdisciplinary team
b. ) Administering medications to the patient
c. ) Providing assistance with bathing and dressing
d. ) Ensuring that the patient’s immunizations are up to date
e. ) Providing emergency care
a, b, c
a.) Coordinating care with members of the interdisciplinary team
b.) Administering medications to the patient
c.) Providing assistance with bathing and dressing
Options A, B, and C are all roles of the nurse in the stable phase of chronic illness.
Option d is a role of the nurse in the preventive phase of chronic illness.
Option E is a role of the nurse in the acute phase of chronic illness.
A nurse is planning health education on chronic illnesses for a group of seniors in the community. When deciding upon which illnesses to focus upon, the nurse knows that which of the following are the most common diseases in the United States? (Select all that apply.)
a. ) Heart disease
b. ) Hypertension
c. ) Asthma
d. ) Osteoarthritis
e. ) Diabetes
a, b, d
a.) Heart disease
b.) Hypertension
d.) Osteoarthritis
The most common chronic diseases in the United States are heart disease, hypertension, and osteoarthritis.
A nurse is caring for an older adult who is in the pre-trajectory phase of the Chronic Illness Trajectory. The nurse knows that this phase is characterized by which of the following:
a. ) The absence of signs or symptoms of the illness
b. ) Diagnostic testing being conducted
c. ) A progressive decline in physical and or mental status
d. ) A period of temporary remission from the crisis
a.) The absence of signs or symptoms of the illness
The pre-trajectory phase is characterized by the absence of signs or symptoms of the illness.
The trajectory onset includes the diagnostic period.
The downward phase is characterized by a progressive decline in physical/mental status, characterized by increasing disability/symptoms.
The comeback phase is characterized as a period of temporary remission from the crisis.
A nurse is teaching a group of older adults about healthy aging. The nurse discusses global lifestyle risk factors for chronic disease. The nurse includes which of the following in the education? (Select all that apply.)
a. ) Smoking cessation and avoidance of tobacco
b. ) Maintenance of high levels of physical activity
c. ) Importance of eating a balanced diet
d. ) Development of advance directives
e. ) Maintenance of blood pressure readings at a level of 120/80 or lower
a, b, c
a.) Smoking cessation and avoidance of tobacco
b.) Maintenance of high levels of physical activity
c.) Importance of eating a balanced diet
Major global lifestyle risk factors for the development of chronic disease include tobacco use, unhealthy diet, physical inactivity, and alcohol abuse.
Development of advance directives and maintenance of healthy blood pressure readings are important, however, are not global lifestyle risk factors for chronic disease.
