Care Of The Older Adult > Fundamentals
Exam Review
Functional Status
Total Questions : 5
Showing 5 questions, Sign in for moreA nurse is assessing the functional status of an older adult client using the Katz Index of Independence in Activities of Daily Living (ADLs).
Which of the following tasks is included in this tool?
Explanation
The correct answer isD.
Dressing.According to the Katz Index of Independence in Activities of Daily Living (ADLs), dressing is one of the six tasks that are used to assess the functional status of older adults.The other five tasks are bathing, toileting, transferring, continence, and feeding.These tasks are considered basic ADLs that reflect the client’s ability to perform self-care independently.
Choice A is wrong because preparing meals is not included in the Katz ADLs.Preparing meals is an example of an instrumental activity of daily living (IADL), which involves more complex skills such as using transportation, managing finances, and taking medications.
Choice B is wrong because taking medications is also an IADL, not a basic ADL.Taking medications requires cognitive abilities such as memory, judgment, and problem-solving.
Choice C is wrong because using transportation is another IADL, not a basic ADL.Using transportation involves planning, organizing, and navigating in the environment.
The Katz ADLs are scored from 0 to 6, with 6 indicating complete independence, 4 indicating moderate impairment, and 2 or less indicating severe functional impairment.The Katz ADLs are useful for measuring the client’s functional status across different settings and professionals.However, they have some limitations such as a ceiling effect, a fixed hierarchy of tasks, and a lack of sensitivity to changes in the level of assistance needed.
A nurse is planning interventions to improve the functional status of an older adult client who has arthritis and lives alone. Which of the following interventions should the nurse include?
(Select all that apply.).
Explanation
The correct answer isA, B, and D.
These interventions are aimed at improving the functional status of an older adult client who has arthritis and lives alone by providing social support, enhancing mobility and safety, and facilitating self-care.
• Choice A is correct because joining a support group for people with arthritis can help the client cope with the emotional and psychological aspects of the chronic condition, as well as provide peer education and resources.
• Choice B is correct because teaching the client how to use a walker and a shower chair can improve the client’s mobility, balance, and independence in performing activities of daily living (ADLs), as well as prevent falls and injuries.
• Choice D is correct because referring the client to a home health aide for assistance with ADLs can reduce the client’s burden and stress, as well as promote self-care and hygiene.
• Choice C is wrong because limiting fluid intake to prevent edema is not a recommended intervention for arthritis, as it can lead to dehydration, electrolyte imbalance, and kidney problems.The client should be encouraged to drink adequate fluids to maintain hydration and joint lubrication.
• Choice E is wrong because prescribing a low-dose aspirin regimen for pain relief is not within the scope of nursing practice, as it requires a physician’s order.
Moreover, aspirin may not be the most appropriate analgesic for arthritis, as it can cause gastrointestinal bleeding, allergic reactions, and interactions with other medications.The nurse should assess the client’s pain level and administer prescribed pain medications as needed.
Normal ranges for fluid intake are about 2 to 3 liters per day for adults, depending on age, weight, activity level, and climate.
Normal ranges for pain level are subjective, but generally a score of 0 to 3 on a 0 to 10 scale indicates mild pain, 4 to 6 indicates moderate pain, and 7 to 10 indicates severe pain.
A nurse is evaluating the functional status of an older adult client who has dementia and lives with a caregiver. The nurse asks the caregiver how the client manages instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs).
Which of the following statements by the caregiver indicates that the client needs assistance with IADLs?
Explanation
The correct answer is A.“He sometimes forgets to turn off the stove after cooking.”
This statement indicates that the client needs assistance with IADLs, which are tasks that allow an individual to live independently in a community and to take care of themselves and their home.They include cooking, cleaning, transportation, laundry, managing finances, and meal preparation.They require more complex planning and thinking than activities of daily living (ADLs), which are basic self-care tasks like bathing.
Choice B is wrong because watching TV and reading magazines are not IADLs, but leisure activities that do not affect the client’s ability to live independently.
Choice C is wrong because having trouble getting in and out of bed is not an IADL, but an ADL that involves functional mobility.
Choice D is wrong because getting confused when talking on the phone is not an IADL, but a communication problem that may affect the client’s social participation.
A nurse is educating an older adult client and a caregiver about the Lawton Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADLs) Scale. Which of the following statements by the nurse is appropriate?
Explanation
The correct answer isC.
“This scale evaluates your ability to perform complex tasks such as managing finances, shopping and doing housework.”.
According to the Lawton Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL) Scale, it is an 8-item questionnaire that measures a person’s ability to engage in more complex activities that are necessary for functioning in community settings.
These activities include:.
• Using a telephone.
• Shopping.
• Food preparation.
• Housekeeping.
• Laundry.
• Mode of transportation.
• Responsibility for own medications.
• Ability to handle finances.
The scale can be administered by proxy, through interview, or as a self-report, and it can be scored from 0 (low function, dependent) to 8 (high function, independent) for women, and 0 to 5 for men.
Choice A is wrong because it describes basic tasks such as bathing, dressing and feeding, which are not part of the IADL scale.These tasks are measured by another scale called the Katz Index of Activities of Daily Living (ADL).
Choice B is wrong because it refers to cognitive function and memory skills, which are not directly assessed by the IADL scale.However, cognitive impairment may affect a person’s ability to perform IADLs.
Choice D is wrong because it relates to depression and anxiety, which are not the focus of the IADL scale.However, depression and anxiety may also affect a person’s ability to perform IADLs.
A nurse is caring for an older adult client who has multiple chronic diseases and takes several medications.
The nurse recognizes that these factors can affect the functional status of the client by:.
Explanation
The correct answer is A.
Increasing the risk of complications, adverse effects and polypharmacy.
Older adults with multiple chronic diseases and medications have more complex health and social care needs than those with fewer or no chronic conditions.They are more likely to experience functional limitations, such as difficulty with activities of daily living, mobility, safety and independence.They are also more likely to have complications from their diseases, adverse effects from their medications, and polypharmacy (the use of multiple medications that may interact with each other or cause harm).
Choice B is wrong because older adults with multiple chronic diseases and medications may have more need for assistive devices and adaptive equipment to help them cope with their functional limitations and improve their quality of life.
Choice C is wrong because older adults with multiple chronic diseases and medications may have reduced mobility, safety and independence due to their functional limitations and increased risk of falls, injuries and hospitalizations.
Choice D is wrong because older adults with multiple chronic diseases and medications may have more impact from environmental and psychosocial factors, such as socioeconomic status, education, health literacy, access to care, social support and caregiver burden.
Normal ranges for functional status can be measured by various tools, such as the Katz Index of Independence in Activities of Daily Living, the Lawton Instrumental Activities of Daily Living Scale, the Short Physical Performance Battery, the Timed Up and Go Test, and the Barthel Index.
These tools assess different domains of function, such as self-care, mobility, balance, strength and endurance.
The scores can range from 0 (complete dependence or impairment) to 100 (complete independence or performance) depending on the tool.
Sign Up or Login to view all the 5 Questions on this Exam
Join over 100,000+ nursing students using Nursingprepexams’s science-backend flashcards, practice tests and expert solutions to improve their grades and reach their goals.
Sign Up Now