An elderly patient comes to the clinic with her daughter. The patient is a diabetic and is concerned about foot care

Question

The nurse goes over foot care with the patient and her daughter as the nurse realizes that foot care is extremely important. Why would the nurse feel that foot care is so important to this patient?
A) An elderly patient with foot ulcers experiences severe foot pain due to the diabetic polyneuropathy.
B) Avoiding the complications associated with foot ulcers may mean the difference between institutionalization and continued independent living.
C) Hypoglycemia is a dangerous situation and it may lead to unsteadiness of the feet and falls.
D) Drugs that the patients are required to take for their diabetic condition often decrease circulation to the lower extremities.

Answer 1

Ans: B
Feedback: The nurse recognizes that providing information on the long-term complications, especially foot and eye problems, associated with diabetes is important. Avoiding amputation through early detection of foot ulcers may mean the difference between institutionalization and continued independent living for the elderly person with diabetes. While the nurse recognizes that hypoglycemia is a dangerous situation and may lead to falls, hypoglycemia is not directly connected to the importance of foot care. Patients with foot ulcers may not realize that they have a foot ulcer because the patient has diminished sensation due to diabetic polyneuropathy and pain is generally absent. The nurse is correct to recognize that patients with diabetes are at risk for decreased circulation to the lower extremities, but should understand that the decrease in circulation is related to vascular changes and is not associated with drugs administered for the condition.