HEALTH PROMOTION

1- A 58-year-old patient has an annual exam. A fecal occult blood test was used to screen for colon cancer. Three were ordered on separate days. The first test was positive; the last two were negative. How should the nur ...

1- A 58-year-old patient has an annual exam. A fecal occult blood test was used to screen for colon cancer. Three were ordered on separate days. The first test was positive; the last two were negative. How should the nurse practitioner proceed? Rescreen in one year. Perform a fourth exam. Refer him for a colonoscopy. Correct Examine him for hemorrhoids. Explanation: A fecal occult blood test is performed multiple times on different days because tumors don’t consistently excrete blood. The reason multiple are performed is to increase the likelihood of identifying blood. The patient needs to have a colonoscopy performed for examination of the colon. The standard of practice is to refer all positive colon cancer screens for colonoscopy. 2 -A criterion for medication choice in an older adult is: long half-life to prevent frequent dosing. dosing of 3-4 times daily. pill color and shape for easy identification. half-life less than 24 hours. Correct Explanation: Many factors go into prescribing for older adults. Some important safety criteria include established efficacy, low adverse event profile, and half-life less than 24 hours with no active metabolites. Active metabolites would produce a longer effect of the drug in the patient. Dosing of a medication three to four times daily invites dosing and medication errors. Once- or twice-daily dosing is ideal. Pill color and shape is never a criterion for prescribing. Patients who are cognitively able will recognize the color, shape, and size of pills they take on a regular basis. 3- What should the nurse practitioner recommend to any elder taking medications? Have someone check your medications prior to taking them Never take your medicine on an empty stomach Keep a list of all of your medications with you Correct Have a pharmacist review your list once a year Explanation: A list of current medications should be kept with each patient and carried with him, especially when healthcare visits are scheduled. Many older adults are capable of taking medications without supervision. Many medications should be taken without food (thyroid supplementation for example). A pharmacist can evaluate the list of medications for drug-drug interactions, but the pharmacist will not know the diagnoses and other reasons for choosing the medications. Question: 4- What temperature should be set on a water heater in the home of an older adult to prevent burn injury? Less than 110 degrees Less than 120 degrees correct Less than 130 degrees Less than 140 degrees Explanation: Hot water heaters are common sources of burns in homes of older adults and very young patients. Many safety organizations in the United States believe that burns can be prevented if hot water heaters are set to less than 120° F. Question: 5- What is the recommendation from American Cancer Society for assessment of the prostate gland in a man who is 45 years old and of average risk for development of prostate cancer? He should have: screening starting at 50 years of age. Correct prostate specific antigen (PSA) now. PSA and digital rectal exam now. digital rectal exam only. Explanation: At age 50 years, males of average prostate cancer risk should have PSA measurement with or without digital rectal exam (DRE). If they are deemed to be of high risk because of a family history (first-degree relative with prostate cancer before age 65 years) or race (African American), screening discussions should take place at age 40-45 years. If initial PSA is > 2.5 ng/mL, annual testing should take place. If the initial PSA is < 2.5 ng/mL, test every 2 years.