What is the best nursing action when assisting an older patient to relieve the discomfort of pruritus related to dry skin?
Encourage the patient to talk to the primary care physician about the problem.
Establishing a medication regimen to control the discomfort.
Encourage the patient to take a tepid bath and use moisturizers
Teach the patient that pruritus is an expected consequence of aging.
The Correct Answer is C
A. Encourage the patient to talk to the primary care physician about the problem
While involving the PCP is helpful, the nurse can provide direct, effective care and education first.
B. Establishing a medication regimen to control the discomfort
Medication may be necessary in severe cases, but non-pharmacologic measures like moisturizing are safer and often more effective initially.
C. Encourage the patient to take a tepid bath and use moisturizers
Tepid baths prevent skin dryness, and applying moisturizers helps restore the skin barrier, relieving pruritus.
D. Teach the patient that pruritus is an expected consequence of aging
While more common with aging, pruritus should not be dismissed; it is treatable and can significantly affect quality of life.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is C
Explanation
A. Obtain the health history from the client’s medical record.
This provides objective and historical data, not subjective information from the client.
B. Leave the client a questionnaire to fill out in private.
Many older adults may have vision or literacy issues. Also, this does not encourage interaction needed for accurate subjective data collection.
C. Allow sufficient time for the client to respond to questions.
Older adults may need more time to process information and recall experiences. Patience supports effective subjective data collection.
D. Talk to the family members to obtain the client’s health history.
Family input may be helpful, but subjective data should come from the client when possible to reflect their experience.
Correct Answer is A
Explanation
A. Decreased blood flow to the liver: Aging reduces hepatic perfusion, impairing the liver’s ability to metabolize drugs, especially in patients with liver disease.
B. Increased body fat: This affects the distribution of fat-soluble drugs but not clearance.
C. Decreased serum albumin: This affects protein binding and distribution of certain drugs but not clearance directly.
D. Decreased body water: This influences water-soluble drug distribution, not drug clearance.
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