The spouse of a homebound elderly patient voices a concern to the visiting nurse, "I'm having a hard time getting the patient to eat a balanced diet. All the patient wants to eat are sweets
" What is the best explanation the nurse can give to the spouse? a. "Maybe she has a ‘sweet tooth.'"
b. "Older adults seem to be able to taste sweet foods best."
c. "I wouldn't worry about it as long as she is eating something."
d. "She is probably getting all the nutrients that she needs."
B
A small decrease in the number of taste cells occurs with aging, beginning around age 60 . Reduced sour, salty, and bitter taste discrimination is common. The ability to detect sweet tastes seems to remain intact. Promote sense of taste through good oral hygiene, serving well-seasoned and differently textured foods, chewing food thoroughly, and avoiding blending or mixing foods. Enhance the sense of smell by removing unpleasant odors from the environment and introducing pleasant smells such as mild room deodorizers or fragrant flowers.
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The hospital admitting nurse is taking a history on a child's illness from the parents. The nurse concludes that the parents treated their six-year-old child appropriately for a fever related to otitis media when they report that they:
1. Put the child in a tub of cold water to reduce the fever. 2. Alternated acetaminophen with ibuprofen every two hours. 3. Offered generous amounts of fluids frequently. 4. Used aspirin every four hours to reduce the fever.
Which is the best way to position a patient's neck for palpation of the thyroid?
a. Flexed away from the side being ex-amined b. Flexed directly forward c. Flexed toward the side being examined d. Hyperextended directly backward
The nurse recognizes that a patient’s diagnosis of a bacterial infection of the brain’s meningeal layer is supported by which diagnostic laboratory result?
a. Chloride 125 mEq/L b. Leukocytes 110/mm3 c. Protein 32 mg/dL d. Glucose 63 mg/dL
The body uses carbohydrates to produce
A. amino acids. B. heat and energy. C. fat. D. hormones and chemicals.