ATI LPN
Test Bank for Psychiatric Nursing: Contemporary Practice
Chapter 37 : Mental Health Assessment of Older Adults Questions
Question 1 of 5
While caring for an 88-year-old client suspected of having dementia, the nurse assesses the client for a common delusional thought. Which of the following would the nurse interpret as a common delusion?
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: In dementia, a common delusion is the belief that personal belongings are being stolen, often by familiar people like roommates or caregivers, as in option D. Grandiose delusions (option
A) or paranoid delusions about the government (option
C) are less common in dementia and more associated with other disorders like schizophrenia. Option B is less typical and more fantastical.
Question 2 of 5
The nurse is assessing a 78-year-old client who lives alone in his own home. To assess the client?s instrumental activities of daily living, which question would be most appropriate to ask?
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs) include complex tasks like cooking, shopping, and managing finances. Asking about cooking meals (option
C) directly assesses an IADL. Bathing (option
A) and changing clothes (option
B) are basic activities of daily living (ADLs). Grocery shopping (option
D) is an IADL but is less specific than cooking for assessing daily functioning.
Question 3 of 5
The nurse is assessing a client who has a history of heavy drinking and who lost his wife to cancer during the previous year. He reports that he isn?t getting as much sleep as he used to when he was younger. Which question would be most appropriate to ask the client to determine if the change in his sleep pattern is related to normal aging or depression?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Difficulty falling or staying asleep (option
B) is a key symptom of depression, especially in the context of recent loss and heavy drinking, which can exacerbate depressive symptoms. Normal aging may reduce sleep duration slightly, but insomnia is more indicative of depression. Options A, C, and D provide background but do not directly differentiate between aging and depression.
Question 4 of 5
A couple is concerned that the husband?s father may be developing depression. In questioning the couple, which of the following statements would support their concern?
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Persistent crying, inability to eat, and sleep difficulties for over 2 months (option
C) strongly suggest depression, as these symptoms exceed normal grief duration (typically lessening within 2 months). Option A (2 weeks) and option D (1 week) reflect acute grief, which is more expected. Option B (agitation and anxiety) is less specific to depression and could indicate other conditions.
Question 5 of 5
A nurse is providing an in-service educational program for beginning nurses regarding mental health assessment needs of the older adult. One of the topics addressed is the importance of interviewing family members in addition to the older adult client. The nurse tells the audience that family members are sometimes able to give a more accurate history if the client has memory impairment. The nurse also emphasizes that interviewing family members provides which of the following?
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Interviewing family members provides a clearer picture of the client?s social support resources (option
A), which is critical for assessing the older adult?s ability to manage mental health challenges. Option B focuses on caregiver ability, which is secondary. Option C is partially correct but less comprehensive, as memory impairment is only one aspect. Option D is incorrect, as interviews are not primarily for family respite.