Chronic Illness & Trajectory
The nurse’s primary role in caring for an older adult with a chronic illness.
What is helping the client live at the optimal level of health and wellness?
When starting opioids in older adults, these medications should be started simultaneously.
What are stool softeners and/or laxatives?
The most common reversible cause of hearing impairment in older adults.
What is cerumen impaction?
First-line medication for Type 2 diabetes.
What is metformin?
Cold intolerance is associated with this endocrine disorder.
What is hypothyroidism?
The most serious complication of osteoporosis.
What is fracture with associated fall risk and mortality?
Three modifiable risk behaviors for chronic illness.
What are physical inactivity, poor nutrition, and tobacco use?
The most important safety instruction after administering an opioid.
What is instruct the client to ask for help before getting up?
The first action when an older adult reports worsening hearing.
What is examine for cerumen impaction?
Type 2 diabetes is diagnosed with two fasting plasma glucose readings above this level.
What is greater than 125 mg/dL?
Hyperthyroidism in older adults may present with this cardiac rhythm change.
What is atrial fibrillation?
The most important discharge teaching priority for a client with osteoporosis.
What is education to prevent falls?
This phase of the chronic illness trajectory is characterized by absence of symptoms.
What is the pretrajectory phase?
Adjuvant medications are used for this purpose.
What is to increase the effect of analgesics?
This disease damages the central retina and affects central vision.
What is macular degeneration?
Three potential complications of diabetes in older adults.
What are cardiovascular disease, neuropathy, retinopathy, kidney disease, poor wound healing, or amputation risk?
This condition increases cardiovascular risk and is characterized by elevated triglycerides and cholesterol.
What is hyperlipidemia?
Weight-bearing exercise improves bone density by stimulating these cells.
What are osteoblasts?
Over 35% of adults over 65 experience this chronic outcome.
What is difficulty with physical functioning?
Two common causes of chronic pain in older adults.
What are osteoarthritis and low back pain?
Three nursing resources for older adults with sensory loss.
What are large-print materials, assistive listening devices, referrals to specialists, adaptive technology, or community resources?
An older adult with burning feet from diabetes should do this to prevent injury.
What is wear well-fitting shoes?
Three symptoms of hyperthyroidism in older adults.
What are atrial fibrillation, heart failure, tremors, weight loss, anorexia, sudden onset symptoms?
Two differences between osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
What is OA is degenerative and localized, RA is autoimmune and systemic; OA stiffness <30 minutes, RA stiffness >30 minutes; OA insidious onset, RA acute onset?
Three phases included in the chronic illness trajectory model.
What are pretrajectory, trajectory, acute, stable and unstable, and dying phases?
Three nonpharmacologic interventions for acute pain.
What are ice/cold therapy, heat therapy, relaxation techniques, distraction, positioning, or therapeutic touch?
In primary open-angle glaucoma, this structure is permanently damaged.
What is the optic nerve?
Three laboratory goals to reduce risk of diabetes and heart disease.
What are triglycerides under 250 mg/dL, cholesterol under 200 mg/dL, HDL over 35 mg/dL, fasting glucose under 126 mg/dL?
The inactive form of thyroid hormone is called ___ and it is converted in the tissues to the active from called ___ by the loss of a single ___ molecule.
What is T4, T3, and iodine?
Three teaching points during an acute gout attack.
What are increase fluids to 2 L/day, avoid high-purine foods, avoid alcohol, avoid aspirin?