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.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is C
Explanation
Choice A: Proportionate Mortality
Proportionate mortality refers to the proportion of deaths in a specified population over a period of time attributable to different causes. It is expressed as a percentage of the total number of deaths. While this measure can provide insight into the relative importance of different causes of death, it does not give the actual mortality rate for each cause. Therefore, it is not the best measure for identifying the top three causes of death in a county.
Choice B: Crude Mortality Rate
The crude mortality rate is the total number of deaths from all causes per 1,000 or 100,000 population in a given year. This measure provides an overall picture of the mortality level in a population but does not specify the causes of death. It is useful for general mortality trends but not for identifying specific causes of death.
Choice C: Cause-Specific Mortality Rate
The cause-specific mortality rate is the number of deaths from a specific cause per 100,000 population in a given year. This measure is the most appropriate for identifying the top three causes of death because it provides detailed information on the mortality rate for each specific cause. By calculating the cause-specific mortality rates, the nurse can determine which causes are the most significant contributors to mortality in the county.
Choice D: Case Fatality
Case fatality refers to the proportion of individuals diagnosed with a particular disease who die from that disease within a specified period. It is usually expressed as a percentage. While case fatality provides information on the severity of a disease, it does not give the overall mortality rate for the population or help identify the top causes of death.
Correct Answer is D
Explanation
Choice A Reason:
The cause-specific mortality rate measures the number of deaths attributed to a specific cause within a population during a given time period. While this measure is useful for understanding the impact of a particular disease on a population, it does not directly indicate the virulence of a virus. Virulence refers to the severity or harmfulness of a disease, which is better captured by the case fatality rate.
Choice B Reason:
The age-specific mortality rate calculates the number of deaths within specific age groups in a population. This measure helps identify age-related mortality trends but does not provide information about the virulence of a virus. Age-specific mortality rates are more useful for understanding the impact of diseases across different age demographics rather than assessing the severity of a new virus.
Choice C Reason:
Proportionate mortality refers to the proportion of deaths in a population attributable to a specific cause relative to all deaths. This measure helps in understanding the relative importance of different causes of death but does not directly measure the virulence of a virus. Proportionate mortality is more about the distribution of causes of death rather than the severity of a particular disease.
Choice D Reason:
Case fatality rate (CFR) is the most appropriate measure for determining the virulence of a new virus. CFR is calculated by dividing the number of deaths caused by the disease by the number of diagnosed cases of the disease, then multiplying by 100 to get a percentage. This measure directly indicates the lethality of the virus by showing the proportion of diagnosed cases that result in death. It is a critical indicator for assessing the severity and potential impact of a new infectious disease.
Whether you are a student looking to ace your exams or a practicing nurse seeking to enhance your expertise , our nursing education contents will empower you with the confidence and competence to make a difference in the lives of patients and become a respected leader in the healthcare field.
Visit Naxlex, invest in your future and unlock endless possibilities with our unparalleled nursing education contents today