M.E.'s daughter expresses some frustration at the number of tests M.E. had to undergo and
the length of time it took someone to diagnose M.E.'s problem. What tests are likely to be
performed, and how is AD diagnosed?
What will be an ideal response?
The diagnosis of AD is made by the neurologic and mental status examination. Some of the most
common tests would be the Geriatric Depression Scale, Mini-Mental State Examination, 7-Minute
Screen, Clinical Dementia Rating, Global Deterioration Scale, Brief Cognitive Rating Scale (BCRS),
and Functional Assessment Staging Test. Diagnostic tests are done to evaluate other possible causes
of the symptoms. These include a complete blood count (CBC) (infection, severe anemia), urinalysis
(infection), thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) test (hypothyroidism), vitamin B12 and folate (vitamin
deficiency), and rapid plasma reagin (RPR) to rule out tertiary syphilis. Imaging may be used. A
computed tomography (CT) scan of the brain may show atrophy or shrinking of the brain, magnetic
resonance imaging (MRI) can show anatomic and biochemical changes, electroencephalogram (EEG)
may show abnormally slow waves, and positron emission tomography (PET) can measure regional
blood flow, oxygen uptake, and the uptake and metabolism of glucose. These tests rule out other
disorders such as brain tumors, hydrocephalus, and metabolic problems.
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The physician mentions the patient has developed alveolar dead space. The nurse recognizes that this means
A) air that is moved in and out of the lungs with each breath. B) air that cannot participate in gas exchange and remains in the main bronchus. C) air is trapped in the conducting airways. D) alveoli are ventilated but not perfused.
A patient is being discharged home after a hysterectomy. When doing discharge teaching with this patient, the nurse knows to caution the patient from sitting for long periods. Why would the nurse teach the patient not to sit for long periods of time?
A) It increases the risk of postoperative nerve damage. B) It increases the fatigue factor after surgery. C) It increases the risk of thromboembolism. D) It increases the risk of hemorrhage.
You are doing preoperative assessments on patients in the clinic scheduled for ambulatory surgery. Which assessment is important in preventing complications with anesthesia?
A) Physiologic normalities B) Physical abnormalities C) Genetic disabilities D) Genetic considerations
A community health nurse is performing skin examinations at a public health fair. Which of the following people are most likely to have polymorphous light eruptions (PMLEs)?
A) A man taking tetracycline B) A man with systemic lupus erythematosus C) A woman with chemical exposure D) A woman from a cold climate