Exam # 2 Study Guide
1. Know the difference between open and close ended questions.
2. Know about geriatric clients and depression (what it looks like, treatments, etc…)
3. Know about different types of communication (mirroring, guided choices, etc…)
4. How do you help with agitation?
5. How do you help with disorientation?
6. Know what somatization is.
7. Know the rules of restraints.
8. Remember what we said about giving directions to older clients with psychological
impairments.
9. Know the difference between higher and lower level of thinking.
10. What do we know about the older client’s memory? (Reality vs beliefs)
11. Know about mini mental status examinations.
12. What aids an older adult with memory and mental functions?
13. When should you use mini mental status exams?
14. Know signs and symptoms of Alzheimer’s?
15. Know the difference between acute and chronic conditions.
a. Chronic conditions last longer than 3 months. 80% over 60 years old have at least 2
chronic conditions (ON TEST). Can be aggravated by stress. Patients get discouraged.
b. Acute conditions happen very rapidly; goal is to cure.
16. Know how to complete a review of systems and what signs and symptoms we would
expect to see in each system.
a. Used to look for chronic conditions. Computerized list ask each question.
b. Pulmonary – History of cough, COPD
c. Cardiovascular – High blood pressure, fainting, falling, chest pain.
d. Gastro/Intestinal – fluid intake and outtake, stomach pain, bowel movements
e. Muscular/skeletal – pain, stiffness, joint pain, stiffness in joints. Ask about assistive
devices (cane, wheelchair, etc.)
f. GU – urinary issues – burning, pain, frequency, bleeding (Woman - how many
pregnancy’s, menopause std’s) (men – frequency getting up at night burning)
g. Neuro – access gait, amnesia, history of stoke, numbness in arms/legs
h. Endocrine – increase thirst, diabetes, urination, hypothyroidism, hunger, weight loss,
tolerance of heat or cold
17. What are signs and symptoms of an MI?
a. Weakness, dizziness, shortness of breath, confusion, fatigue, upper abdominal pain.
18. Know what CHF is.
a. Congestive Heart Failure - A weakened heart condition that causes fluid buildup in
the feet, arms, lungs, and other organs.
19. Know nursing interventions for postural hypotension.
a. Improve blood flow, Encourage the patient to wear anti-embolic stockings, Promote
salt intake, and Assist the patient in position changes.
20. Know about Digoxin.
a. a medication used to manage and treat heart failure and certain arrhythmias.
21. Know health prevention for hypertension.
a. Healthy Diet, healthy weight, Physically Active, do not smoke or drink, plenty of
sleep.
22. Know risk factors for HTN.
a. Hypertension - older age, genetics, being overweight or obese, not being physically
active, high-salt diet, and drinking too much alcohol.
23. How does hearing change as clients age?
24. What is hypothyroidism confused with in the older client?
Aging – symptoms include fatigue, memory loss, slowing of thought process, dry skin,
intolerance to cold, constipation, and hair loss.
25. What nursing interventions can you put in place for a person who is an aspiration risk?
26. What are disease processes associated with low anemia?
27. What lab values would you assess with patients taking anticoagulants?
28. Know what medications can cause hypoglycemia.
29. Know what theophylline is.
30. Know what a stool guaiac test is.
31. Know what medications cause issues with potassium levels.
32. Know what digoxin is.
33. Know what you would expect to assess in a patient with a low hemoglobin level.
34. What would we expect to see with a normal urinalysis.
35. What labs are risk factors for coronary artery disease.
36. What labs would you evaluate with gout?
37. What labs do we assess in the renal system?
38. What are signs and symptoms of a UTI?
39. Know you electrolyte levels, what they do in the body and issues with high or low levels.
40. How are medications different for older adults?
41. How do we improve compliance?
42. Know about misuse of medications.
43.
