A home health nurse is caring for an elderly client who has heart failure. Which of the following interventions on the tertiary level of prevention could be included in the care?
Reinforce past teachings on how to read food labels.
Review the daily weights the client has collected since the last home visit.
Remind the client to ask for the pneumococcal vaccine during their next provider appointment.
Auscultate the lungs and assess for edema.
The Correct Answer is B
Choice A Reason:
Reinforcing past teachings on how to read food labels is an important educational intervention. It helps the client make informed dietary choices, which can be crucial in managing heart failure. However, this intervention is more aligned with secondary prevention, which focuses on early detection and management of disease risk factors to prevent progression. Tertiary prevention, on the other hand, aims to manage and mitigate complications of an already established disease.
Choice B Reason:
Tertiary prevention focuses on managing and mitigating the effects of an existing disease to prevent complications and improve quality of life. In the context of heart failure, this involves monitoring and managing symptoms to prevent disease progression and hospitalizations. Reviewing the client's daily weights helps detect early signs of fluid retention, a common issue in heart failure, allowing for timely interventions.
Choice C Reason:
Reminding the client to ask for the pneumococcal vaccine during their next provider appointment is a preventive measure aimed at reducing the risk of infections, which can exacerbate heart failure. This intervention falls under primary prevention, as it aims to prevent the occurrence of a new health issue (pneumonia) rather than managing an existing condition.
Choice D Reason:
While assessing for edema is important in managing heart failure, it is more of a diagnostic activity rather than an intervention. Tertiary prevention involves interventions to manage and mitigate the effects of an existing disease.
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Related Questions
Correct Answer is D
Explanation
Choice A Reason:
Evaluation is a core function of epidemiology that involves assessing the effectiveness, efficiency, and impact of health programs and interventions. While attending conferences can provide valuable insights and knowledge that contribute to evaluation efforts, the primary activity described in the scenario is networking and staying current, which aligns more closely with the concept of linkages.
Choice B Reason:
Policy development is another critical function of epidemiology, focusing on creating and advocating for policies that promote public health. Although attending conferences can inform policy development by providing the latest research and best practices, the main activity in the scenario is interacting with colleagues and staying updated, which is more about building connections and collaborations.
Choice C Reason:
Surveillance involves the systematic collection, analysis, and interpretation of health data to monitor and prevent disease outbreaks. While conferences can offer updates on surveillance methods and findings, the nurse's primary engagement in the scenario is networking and professional development, which does not directly involve surveillance activities.
Choice D Reason:
Linkages refer to the connections and collaborations between public health professionals, organizations, and communities. Attending the APHA meeting annually allows the nurse to build and maintain these linkages by interacting with colleagues and staying current in the field. These connections are essential for sharing knowledge, resources, and best practices, ultimately enhancing public health efforts.
Correct Answer is D
Explanation
Choice A Reason:
Assessing the client's wound is a task that requires clinical judgment and expertise, which falls under the scope of practice of a registered nurse (RN) or licensed practical nurse (LPN). Assistive personnel (AP) are not trained or authorized to perform assessments, as these require a higher level of clinical knowledge and decision-making.
Choice B Reason:
Notifying the case manager of the client's wishes for community resources involves communication and coordination of care, which are responsibilities typically handled by an RN or LPN. This task requires understanding the client's overall care plan and the ability to communicate effectively with other healthcare professionals.
Choice C Reason:
Reviewing the client's medications is a task that involves understanding the medications, their purposes, potential side effects, and interactions. This requires clinical knowledge and judgment, which are beyond the scope of practice for AP. Medication review is typically performed by an RN or LPN.
Choice D Reason:
Assisting the client with bathing and oral care is a task that falls within the scope of practice for AP. These activities are part of the basic care tasks that AP are trained to perform. They involve helping the client with daily living activities, which do not require clinical judgment or decision-making.
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