A gerontologic nurse educator is providing practice guidelines to unlicensed care providers. Because reaction to painful stimuli is sometimes blunted in older adults, what must be used with caution?
A) Hot or cold packs
B) Analgesics
C) Anti-inflammatory medications
D) Whirlpool baths
Ans: A
Feedback:
Reaction to painful stimuli may be decreased with age. Because pain is an important warning signal, caution must be used when hot or cold packs are used. The older patient may be burned or suffer frostbite before being aware of any discomfort. Any medication is used with caution in the elderly, but not because of the decreased sense of heat or cold. Whirlpool baths are generally not a routine treatment ordered for the elderly.
You might also like to view...
The nurse is pouring a sterile solution from a bottle. What direction should the label on the bottle be in for appropriate technique?
a. Facing outward b. Covered c. Facing downward d. In the palm of the hand
A client is prescribed penicillin therapy to treat an infection. Which of the following would the nurse include in the teaching plan for the client to reduce her risk of fungal superinfections? Select all that apply
A) "Yogurt can sometimes help." B) "Try drinking some buttermilk." C) "You could take Acidophilus capsules." D) "Rinse your mouth daily with an alcohol-based mouthwash." E) "Use a soft-bristle toothbrush when brushing."
An 87-year-old patient developed herpes zoster after surgical repair of a hip fracture. The priority nursing diagnosis is
a. impaired skin integrity related to immu-nologic deficit. b. self-care deficit related to severe pain and fatigue. c. risk for infection related to impaired skin integrity. d. pain related to inadequate pain relief from analgesia.
A nurse providing palliative care for a dying man and his family knows that the goal of palliative care is:
A) to aggressively treat the disease. B) to provide care for the dying in the home. C) to aggressively treat the symptoms of the disease. D) to support the family of the dying patient.