A nurse is providing teaching to a client who is newly diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. Which of the following treatment options should the nurse include in the teaching?
Initiate hospice care services when the client has 6 months or less to live.
Improve cognitive status with transcranial magnetic stimulation.
Control anxiety with barbiturate medications.
Delay cognitive impairment with NMDA receptor antagonist medications.
The Correct Answer is D
Choice A reason: Initiating hospice care services is generally considered when the client is in the final stages of Alzheimer's disease and has a life expectancy of 6 months or less. Hospice care focuses on comfort and quality of life, rather than curative treatments. It's an option when the disease has significantly progressed, not typically at the time of initial diagnosis.
Choice B reason: Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is a non-invasive procedure that uses magnetic fields to stimulate nerve cells in the brain and is being studied as a potential treatment for improving cognitive status in Alzheimer's patients. However, it is not yet a standard treatment and is considered experimental.
Choice C reason: Barbiturate medications are not typically used to control anxiety in Alzheimer's patients due to the risk of dependency and the potential to worsen cognitive impairment. Other medications, such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), are generally preferred for managing anxiety in these patients⁷.
Choice D reason: NMDA receptor antagonists, such as memantine, are medications that can help delay cognitive symptoms in patients with moderate to severe Alzheimer's disease. They work by regulating the activity of glutamate, a neurotransmitter involved in learning and memory, which may be overactive in Alzheimer's disease.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is B
Explanation
Choice A reason: Providing a client with a timeline for grieving is not recommended as grief is a highly individual experience and does not follow a set timeline. Each person's journey through grief is unique, and imposing a timeline may invalidate their feelings and hinder the natural process of grieving.
Choice B reason: Encouraging the client to express their feelings is considered a best practice in nursing care for patients with dementia experiencing anticipatory grief. It allows the patient to acknowledge and work through their emotions, which is an important aspect of coping with grief. Open communication can also help the nurse to assess the patient's emotional state and provide appropriate support.
Choice C reason: While showing sympathy can be comforting, it is more beneficial to show empathy. Empathy involves understanding and sharing the feelings of another, which helps in building a stronger connection and providing more personalized care. Sympathy might sometimes be perceived as pity, which can be counterproductive in the therapeutic relationship.
Choice D reason: Sharing personal stories of grief with the client is generally not advised as the focus should remain on the client's experiences. The nurse's role is to facilitate the client's expression of grief, not to shift the focus to their own experiences. Personal stories may also trigger additional stress for the client.
Correct Answer is B
Explanation
Choice A reason: Avoiding television when hearing voices is not a recognized strategy for relapse prevention in schizophrenia. While reducing stimuli during episodes of auditory hallucinations can be helpful, it is not a substitute for professional treatment and medication adherence, which are key to relapse prevention.
Choice B reason: Informing a counselor about trouble sleeping is important because sleep disturbances can be an early indicator of a potential relapse. Maintaining open communication with healthcare providers about changes in sleep patterns allows for timely interventions and adjustments in treatment to prevent a relapse.
Choice C reason: Listening to the voices is not advisable as it may reinforce the hallucinations. Instead, clients are encouraged to engage in reality-based activities and to discuss their experiences with their healthcare providers to manage symptoms effectively.
Choice D reason: Isolation can exacerbate symptoms of schizophrenia and increase the risk of relapse. It is important for individuals to maintain social contacts and support systems as part of a comprehensive relapse prevention strategy.
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