A nurse is caring for a client who is receiving mechanical ventilation via an endotracheal tube. Which of the following actions should the nurse take?

Answer: B

Rationale:

A) Use written signs to assist the client with locating the bathroom: While written signs may be helpful in the earlier stages of Alzheimer's disease, as the disease progresses, clients may lose the ability to read and comprehend written language. Visual cues, such as pictures or color-coded indicators, tend to be more effective in helping clients navigate their environment.

B) Limit the number of choices for the client: Limiting choices reduces confusion and anxiety for clients with Alzheimer's disease. Providing too many options can overwhelm them, making decision-making difficult. Offering simple, clear choices helps to maintain a sense of autonomy while minimizing stress.

C) Provide a stimulating environment for the client: Although some stimulation can be beneficial, excessive stimulation can overwhelm a client with Alzheimer's disease, leading to agitation and confusion. It's important to create a calm, structured environment that promotes safety and reduces anxiety.

D) Use confrontation to manage the client’s behavior: Confrontation should be avoided when managing the behavior of clients with Alzheimer's disease. Confronting or challenging them can increase agitation and lead to further confusion. Instead, caregivers should use distraction, redirection, and a calm approach to manage difficult behaviors effectively.

As individuals age, there is a natural decline in kidney function. This can result in a reduced ability to filter and excrete medications and their metabolites from the body. The decreased kidney function can lead to a longer half-life of medications, increased drug accumulation, and an increased risk of adverse drug reactions. It is important for the nurse to adjust medication dosages and frequencies based on the individual's renal function to prevent drug toxicity.

Increased liver function: Aging is associated with a gradual decline in liver function. While there may be some individual variations, in general, liver function decreases rather than increases with age. However, changes in liver function can affect the metabolism and elimination of medications. Some medications may require dosage adjustments based on liver function, but it is not a common physiological change in older adults.

Increased metabolism: Aging is generally associated with a decrease in metabolism rather than an increase. The metabolic rate tends to slow down with age, which can affect the pharmacokinetics of medications. Slower metabolism can result in medications taking longer to be metabolized and cleared from the body, potentially leading to prolonged drug effects.

Decreased pulmonary function: While it is true that lung function decreases with age, the impact on medication administration is not as significant compared to kidney function. Medications are usually administered through non-pulmonary routes (e.g., oral, intravenous, transdermal), and decreased pulmonary function primarily affects the absorption of inhaled medications. However, certain respiratory conditions or compromised lung function may influence medication choices or require adjusted dosing.