The nurse assesses an older adult client's ability to perform activities of daily living (ADLs). When observing the client ambulate, the nurse notes that the client's posture is upright, and the gait is smooth and steady. Which action should the nurse take next?

Initiate a fall risk protocol for the client.

Teach the client to shorten the stride to prevent falls.

Determine the client's activity tolerance.

Record the client's ability to perform ADLS safely.

Answer and Explanation

The Correct Answer is C

A. Initiate a fall risk protocol for the client:

Initiating a fall risk protocol may be premature based solely on observations of an upright posture and a smooth, steady gait. While falls are a significant concern in older adults, these observations suggest that the client currently exhibits good balance and mobility, which may not warrant immediate initiation of a fall risk protocol. Fall risk assessments typically involve a comprehensive evaluation of multiple factors beyond posture and gait, such as medical history, medications, cognitive status, and environmental factors.

B. Teach the client to shorten the stride to prevent falls:

Teaching the client to shorten their stride to prevent falls may not be necessary based on the observed smooth and steady gait. Shortening the stride is often recommended for individuals who exhibit signs of imbalance or instability during walking. However, in this scenario, the client demonstrates a smooth and steady gait, suggesting that their current gait pattern is effective and does not pose an immediate risk of falling.

C. Determine the client's activity tolerance:

Assessing the client's activity tolerance is an appropriate next step in the nursing process. While the observed upright posture and smooth, steady gait are positive indicators of mobility, understanding the client's overall activity tolerance provides valuable insight into their functional capacity and ability to perform activities of daily living safely. This assessment helps tailor care interventions to meet the client's individual needs and promotes optimal independence and quality of life.

D. Record the client's ability to perform ADLs safely:

Documenting the client's ability to perform activities of daily living (ADLs) safely is an essential component of nursing assessment and documentation. However, it may not be the most immediate action to take following the observation of an upright posture and smooth, steady gait. While documenting findings is important for maintaining accurate records and facilitating communication among healthcare team members, further assessment of the client's activity tolerance would provide additional context for documenting their functional status accurately.

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Correct Answer is C

Explanation

A. Initiate the facility's restraint flow sheet:

- Initiating the facility's restraint flow sheet is an important step for documenting the use of restraints according to institutional policies and regulatory requirements. However, in this scenario where improper use of restraints has been observed, the immediate priority is to address the safety concern and prevent harm to the client.

B. Ensure that the restraints are not too tight:

- Ensuring that the restraints are not too tight is crucial for preventing harm to the client, such as compromised circulation or tissue damage. However, while important, this action is secondary to addressing the observed improper use of restraints, which poses an immediate safety risk to the client.

C. Demonstrate proper securing of the restraints:

Educating the UAP on how to correctly apply restraints is crucial. Incorrectly secured restraints can lead to complications such as injury, infection, or impaired circulation. The nurse should show the UAP how to secure the restraints to amovable part of the bed frame, not to the side rails. This ensures safety and prevents harm if the side rails are released.Proper restraint application helps maintain the client’s safety while minimizing risks.

D. Complete an adverse occurrence/incident report:

- Completing an adverse occurrence/incident report: Reporting incidents is necessary, but it can wait until after ensuring safe restraint application.

A. Risk for infection. B. Impaired physical mobility. C. Risk for impaired skin integrity. D. Self care deficit.

Correct Answer is C

Explanation

A. Risk for infection:

Neuropathy can compromise the ability to detect injuries or wounds on the feet. Consequently, there's a risk of wounds going unnoticed, becoming infected, and leading to serious complications. While preventing infection is important, the primary concern in this scenario is preventing the occurrence of wounds or skin breakdown in the first place.

B. Impaired physical mobility:

Impaired physical mobility may be a concern for clients with neuropathy, especially if it affects their ability to walk or perform activities of daily living. However, in this scenario, the client is reporting increasing numbness and tingling in the lower extremities, indicating a sensory issue rather than a motor one. Therefore, while physical mobility is important, it may not be the immediate priority for promoting foot care in this case.

C. Risk for impaired skin integrity:

This option addresses the potential risk of skin breakdown or damage due to decreased sensation in the lower extremities, which is characteristic of neuropathy. With increasing numbness and tingling, there's a higher risk that the client may not be able to perceive injuries or pressure points, leading to skin damage or ulceration. Preventing skin integrity issues is crucial to avoid complications such as infections or wounds.

D. Self-care deficit:

Neuropathy can indeed impact a person's ability to perform self-care activities, including foot care. However, the priority in this scenario is to prevent complications related to neuropathy, such as skin integrity issues, rather than addressing deficits in self-care abilities. While self-care education and support may be necessary in the long term, immediate intervention to prevent skin breakdown takes precedence.

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The nurse assesses an older adult client's ability to perform activities of daily living (ADLs). When observing the client ambulate, the nurse notes that the client's posture is upright, and the gait is smooth and steady. Which action should the nurse take next?

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The nurse observes the unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP) securing a client's wrist restraints to the bedside rails. Which action is most important for the nurse to implement?

Correct Answer is C

Explanation

The nurse is caring for a client with a history of neuropathy who reports increasing numbness and tingling in the lower extremities. Which problem should the nurse determine is the priority for promoting foot care at this time?

Correct Answer is C

Explanation

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