21 Jan DQ1 You have just met with

NUR4286 Gerontology and End of Life

Week 10 Discussion

DQ1 You have just met with a patient who will be included in your caseload. The patient is an 82-year-old man whose wife died last year. He has no family members who live in the community. He was referred to you by his physician, who is concerned because he has lost 20 pounds in the past year. The patient is 5’10” and his current weight is 158 pounds. What additional information do you need to assist this patient? What could be the potential causes of his weight loss? What are your recommendations? To whom would you refer him?

DQ2 Assume each of the following scenarios occurs in an older adult patient. Describe what the primary problem is and how it may be avoided or corrected.

A patient taking an expensive medication every other day versus daily as prescribed so that it will “last longer.”

A patient started on a new H2 antagonist for a peptic ulcer at normal dosing develops confusion a few days later.

A patient receiving multiple medications, all of which are taken at different times of the day. When asked, he or she has no idea what each medication is, what it is used for, or when to take it.