Chapter 23 Flashcards
1. An older adult patient takes multiple medications daily. Over 2 days, the patient developed confusion, slurred speech, an unsteady gait, and fluctuating levels of orientation. These findings are most characteristic of a. delirium. b. dementia. c. amnestic syndrome. d. Alzheimer’s disease.
ANS: A
Delirium is characterized by an abrupt onset of fluctuating levels of awareness, clouded consciousness, perceptual disturbances, and disturbed memory and orientation. The onset of dementia or Alzheimer’s disease, a type of dementia, is more insidious. Amnestic syndrome involves memory impairment without other cognitive problems.
2. A patient with fluctuating levels of awareness, confusion, and disturbed orientation shouts, “Bugs are crawling on my legs. Get them off!” Which problem is the patient experiencing? a. Aphasia b. Dystonia c. Tactile hallucinations d. Mnemonic disturbance
ANS: C
The patient feels bugs crawling on both legs, even though no sensory stimulus is actually present. This description meets the definition of a hallucination, a false sensory perception. Tactile hallucinations may be part of the symptom constellation of delirium. Aphasia refers to a speech disorder. Dystonia refers to excessive muscle tonus. Mnemonic disturbance is associated with dementia rather than delirium.
- A patient with fluctuating levels of consciousness, disturbed orientation, and perceptual alteration begs, “Someone get these bugs off me.” What is the nurse’s best response?
a.
“No bugs are on your legs. You are having hallucinations.”
b.
“I will have someone stay here and brush off the bugs for you.”
c.
“Try to relax. The crawling sensation will go away sooner if you can relax.”
d.
“I don’t see any bugs, but I can tell you are frightened. I will stay with you.”
ANS: D
When hallucinations are present, the nurse should acknowledge the patient’s feelings and state the nurse’s perception of reality, but not argue. Staying with the patient increases feelings of security, reduces anxiety, offers the opportunity for reinforcing reality, and provides a measure of physical safety. Denying the patient’s perception without offering help does not support the patient emotionally. Telling the patient to relax makes the patient responsible for self-soothing. Telling the patient that someone will brush the bugs away supports the perceptual distortions.
- What is the priority nursing diagnosis for a patient with fluctuating levels of consciousness, disturbed orientation, and visual and tactile hallucinations?
a.
Risk for injury related to altered cerebral function, fluctuating levels of consciousness, disturbed orientation, and misperception of the environment
b.
Bathing/hygiene self-care deficit related to cerebral dysfunction, as evidenced by confusion and inability to perform personal hygiene tasks
c.
Disturbed thought processes related to medication intoxication, as evidenced by confusion, disorientation, and hallucinations
d.
Fear related to sensory perceptual alterations as evidenced by visual and tactile hallucinations
ANS: A
The physical safety of the patient is of highest priority among the diagnoses given. Many opportunities for injury exist when a patient misperceives the environment as distorted, threatening, or harmful or when the patient exercises poor judgment or when the patient’s sensorium is clouded. The other diagnoses may be concerns, but are lower priorities.
5. What is the priority intervention for a patient diagnosed with delirium who has fluctuating levels of consciousness, disturbed orientation, and perceptual alterations? a. Distraction using sensory stimulation b. Careful observation and supervision c. Avoidance of physical contact d. Activation of the bed alarm
ANS: B
Careful observation and supervision are of ultimate importance because an appropriate outcome would be that the patient will remain safe and free from injury. Physical contact during care cannot be avoided. Activating a bed alarm is only one aspect of providing for the
- A patient diagnosed with delirium is experiencing perceptual alterations. Which environmental adjustment should the nurse make for this patient?
a.
Provide a well-lit room without glare or shadows. Limit noise and stimulation.
b.
Maintain soft lighting day and night. Keep a radio on low volume continuously.
c.
Light the room brightly day and night. Awaken the patient hourly to assess mental status.
d.
Keep the patient by the nurse’s desk while awake. Provide rest periods in a room with a television on.
ANS: A
A quiet, shadow-free room offers an environment that produces the fewest sensory perceptual distortions for a patient with cognitive impairment associated with delirium. The other options have the potential to produce increased perceptual alterations.
- Which assessment finding would be likely for a patient experiencing a hallucination? The patient
a.
looks at shadows on a wall and says, “I see scary faces.”
b.
states, “I feel bugs crawling on my legs and biting me.”
c.
reports telepathic messages from the television.
d.
speaks in rhymes.
ANS: B
A hallucination is a false sensory perception occurring without a corresponding sensory stimulus. Feeling bugs on the body when none are present is a tactile hallucination. Misinterpreting shadows as faces is an illusion. An illusion is a misinterpreted sensory perception. The other incorrect options apply to thought insertion and clang associations.
8. Consider these cerebral pathophysiologies: Lewy body development, frontotemporal degeneration, and accumulation of protein β-amyloid. Which diagnosis applies? a. Cyclothymia b. Dementia c. Delirium d. Amnesia
ANS: B
The listed cerebral pathophysiologies are all associated with development of dementia.
9. Which medication prescribed to patients diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease antagonizes N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) channels rather than cholinesterase? a. Donepezil b. Rivastigmine c. Memantine d. Galantamine
ANS: C
Memantine blocks the NMDA channels and is used in moderate-to-late stages of the disease. Donepezil, rivastigmine, and galantamine are all cholinesterace inhibitors. These drugs increase the availability of acetylcholine and are most often used to treat mild-to-moderate Alzheimer’s disease.
10. An older adult was stopped by police for driving through a red light. When asked for a driver’s license, the adult hands the police officer a pair of sunglasses. What sign of dementia is evident? a. Aphasia b. Apraxia c. Agnosia d. Anhedonia
ANS: C
Agnosia refers to the loss of sensory ability to recognize objects. Aphasia refers to the loss of language ability. Apraxia refers to the loss of purposeful movement. Anhedonia refers to a loss of joy in life.
11. An older adult drove to a nearby store but was unable to remember how to get home or state an address. When police intervened, they found that this adult was wearing a heavy coat and hat, even though it was July. Which stage of Alzheimer’s disease is evident? a. Sundowning b. Early c. Middle d. Late
ANS: C
In the middle stage, deterioration is evident. Memory loss may include the inability to remember addresses or the date. Activities such as driving may become hazardous, and frustration by the increasing difficulty of performing ordinary tasks may be experienced. The individual has difficulty with clothing selection. Mild cognitive decline (early-stage) Alzheimer’s can be diagnosed in some, but not all, individuals. Symptoms include misplacing items and misuse of words. In the late stage there is severe cognitive decline along with agraphia, hyperorality, blunting of emotions, visual agnosia, and hypermetamorphosis. Sundowning is not a stage of Alzheimer’s disease.
12. Consider these phenomena: accumulation of β-amyloid outside the neurons, neurofibrillary tangles, and neuronal degeneration in the hippocampus. Which health problem corresponds to these events? a. Huntington’s disease b. Alzheimer’s disease c. Parkinson’s disease d. Vascular dementia
ANS: B
The pathophysiological phenomena described apply to Alzheimer’s disease. Parkinson’s disease is associated with dopamine dysregulation. Huntington’s disease is genetic. Vascular dementia is the consequence of circulatory changes.
13. A patient diagnosed as mild stage Alzheimer’s disease tires easily and prefers to stay home rather than attend social activities. The spouse does the grocery shopping because the patient cannot remember what to buy. Which nursing diagnosis applies at this time? a. Self-care deficit b. Impaired memory c. Caregiver role strain d. Adult failure to thrive
ANS: B
Memory impairment begins at the mild stage and progresses in the subsequent stages. This patient is able to perform most self-care activities. Caregiver role strain and adult failure to thrive occur later.
- A patient has progressive memory deficits associated with dementia. Which nursing intervention would best help the individual function in the environment?
a.
Assist the patient to perform simple tasks by giving step-by-step directions.
b.
Reduce frustration by performing activities of daily living for the patient.
c.
Stimulate intellectual function by discussing new topics with the patient.
d.
Read one story from the newspaper to the patient every day.
ANS: A
Patients with cognitive impairment should perform all tasks of which they are capable. When simple directions are given in a systematic fashion, the patient is better able to process information and perform simple tasks. Stimulating intellectual functioning by discussing new topics is likely to prove frustrating for the patient. Patients with cognitive deficits may enjoy the attention of someone reading to them, but this activity does not promote their function in the environment.
- Two patients in a residential care facility are diagnosed with dementia. One shouts to the other, “Move along, you’re blocking the road.” The other patient turns, shakes a fist, and shouts, “You’re trying to steal my car.” What is the nurse’s best action?
a.
Administer one dose of an antipsychotic medication to both patients.
b.
Reinforce reality. Say to the patients, “Walk along in the hall. This is not a traffic intersection.”
c.
Separate and distract the patients. Take one to the day room and the other to an activities area.
d.
Step between the two patients and say, “Please quiet down. We do not allow violence here.”
ANS: C
Separating and distracting prevents escalation from verbal to physical acting out. Neither patient loses self-esteem during this intervention. Medication probably is not necessary. Stepping between two angry, threatening patients is an unsafe action, and trying to reinforce reality during an angry outburst will probably not be successful when the patients are cognitively impaired.