A nurse in the emergency department assesses a client's pupillary reaction and observes pinpoint pupils. The client seems lethargic but oriented to person and place. There is a significant other at the bedside who notes this is not "normal" for them. The nurse interprets this finding as suggesting which of the following?

Macular degeneration

Recent eye trauma

Bilateral cataracts

Narcotic use

Answer and Explanation

The Correct Answer is D

Choice A reason: Macular degeneration impairs central vision, not pupil size. Pinpoint pupils and lethargy suggest systemic effects, not retinal aging, making this unrelated to the neurological and ocular findings in this emergency setting entirely and fully here.
Choice B reason: Eye trauma may dilate pupils from injury, not pinpoint them. Lethargy and change per the significant other point to systemic causes, not local trauma, excluding this as the likely explanation for this presentation comprehensively here.
Choice C reason: Bilateral cataracts cloud lenses, not affecting pupil size or alertness. Pinpoint pupils with lethargy suggest a neurological cause, not lens opacity, rendering this irrelevant to the acute change observed in this client fully here.
Choice D reason: Narcotic use, like opioids, causes pinpoint pupils via cranial nerve III stimulation and lethargy from CNS depression. This matches the sudden change and symptoms, making it the most likely interpretation in this emergency case accurately here.

Nursing Test Bank

Quiz #1: RN Exams Pharmacology Exams Quiz #2: RN Exams Medical-Surgical Exams Quiz #3: RN Exams Fundamentals Exams Quiz #4: RN Exams Maternal-Newborn Exams Quiz #5: RN Exams Anatomy and Physiology Exams Quiz #6: RN Exams Obstetrics and Pediatrics Exams Quiz #7: RN Exams Fluid and Electrolytes Exams Quiz #8: RN Exams Community Health Exams Quiz #9: RN Exams Promoting Health across the lifespan Exams Quiz #10: RN Exams Multidimensional care Exams

Get 100+ Naxlex Exit Exams for $79 Try Naxlex NCLEX-RN (14 Day Free-Trial)

Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams

Quiz #1: Naxlex RN Comprehensive online practice 2019 B with NGN Quiz #2: Naxlex RN Comprehensive Predictor 2023 Quiz #3: Naxlex RN Comprehensive Predictor 2023 Exit Exam A Quiz #4: Naxlex HESI Exit LPN Exam Quiz #5: Naxlex PN Comprehensive Predictor PN 2020 Quiz #6: Naxlex VATI PN Comprehensive Predictor 2020 Quiz #8: Naxlex PN Comprehensive Predictor 2023 - Exam 1 Quiz #10: Naxlex HESI PN Exit exam Quiz #11: Naxlex HESI PN EXIT Exam 2

Free Nursing Study Resources

Correct Answer is D

Explanation

Choice A reason: Impaired judgment suggests frontal lobe pathology, like dementia, not normal aging. Age-related changes slow processing, not executive function, making this a disease sign, not a typical neurological shift in an 81-year-old fully here.
Choice B reason: Loss of remote memory indicates Alzheimer’s, not normal aging. Aging may slow recall, but long-term memory typically persists, excluding this as an expected age-related change in this neurological assessment entirely and accurately here.
Choice C reason: Intention tremors signal cerebellar disease, like Parkinson’s, not aging. Normal aging may reduce fine motor speed, but not cause action tremors, distinguishing this as pathological, not a standard age-related finding fully here.
Choice D reason: Reduced distal sensation, from nerve conduction slowing, is a common age-related change. Aging thins myelin, impairing peripheral nerves, making this the expected finding in an 81-year-old’s neurological exam accurately and comprehensively here.

A. Sit by the client's side and speak very slowly. B. Speak directly to the client, a little more slowly, in a normal, clear voice. C. Prepare to remove the blockage in the ear. D. Raise your voice and speak loudly and into the client's good ear.

Correct Answer is B

Explanation

Choice A reason: Speaking very slowly distorts speech, worsening comprehension in presbycusis, an age-related high-frequency hearing loss. Facing the client aids lip-reading, but excessive slowness disrupts natural cadence, reducing clarity for those with sensorineural deficits typically seen here.

Choice B reason: Speaking directly, slightly slower, in a clear voice enhances understanding in presbycusis. Facing the client supports visual cues, while normal volume avoids distortion, addressing high-frequency loss effectively without assuming blockage or overcompensating unnecessarily for this condition.

Choice C reason: Presbycusis is sensorineural, not conductive from blockages like cerumen. Preparing to remove nonexistent wax misdiagnoses this age-related cochlear degeneration, wasting time and missing the communication adjustments needed for effective care in this scenario entirely.

Choice D reason: Raising the voice distorts sound, worsening presbycusis comprehension, as shouting amplifies lower frequencies, not the lost high ones. Assuming a “good ear” ignores bilateral degeneration, making this less effective than clear, direct speech for communication here.

View Question and Answer

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

Nursing Test Bank

Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams

The nurse is conducting a focused neurologic assessment on an 81-year-old client. What finding below is an age-related neurologic change?

Correct Answer is D

Explanation

A nurse is caring for a client who has presbycusis. Which of the following actions should the nurse take?

Correct Answer is B

Explanation

The nurse is reviewing a client's electronic health record before assessing her mouth. Which of the following diagnoses would the nurse recognize as an indication for immediate medical follow up?

A 53 year-old client was recently diagnosed with benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH). He is fearful and states, "My good friend just died from prostate cancer and I am concerned this will happen to me." What would be the most appropriate response by the nurse?

A nurse is providing a subjective data assessment for an older female. The client verbalizes a list of symptoms regarding their concern. Which findings would lead the nurse to supply education about menopause?

The nurse is testing for motor functioning by having the client lie down and slide the heel of the right foot down the left shin and then slide the heel of the left foot down the right shin. Which response by the patient would indicate that there may be cerebellar dysfunction?

A nurse is working with a client who has a history of headaches for greater than two months. When preparing to assess the client's temporomandibular joint, what instruction provided to the client would indicate the nurse needs more teaching?

A new client has been received into the emergency department following a pedestrian-automobile collision. The triage nurse recognizes which of the following as an emergency and correctly notifies the provider immediately?