A nurse is caring for an elderly client with a respiratory disorder. The nurse assesses which in the client as a result of aging?
A) Hypothermia as a response to illness
B) Intermittent fevers
C) A lower baseline body temperature
D) Presence of febrile response
C
Feedback:
When caring for an elderly client, the nurse should assess for a lower baseline body temperature. Older adults usually have a baseline body temperature lower than 98.6° F, which makes it difficult to ascertain if frequent hypothermia is a response to an illness. Because of this lower baseline body temperature, older adults do not always have a febrile response to infection, which is why assessing for the presence of a febrile response is not an appropriate intervention. The immune system of the older adult acts with a slower muted inflammatory process, which makes them susceptible to infections, but not necessarily intermittent fevers.
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