Free GNA Skills Required Questions and Answers — Questions and Answers
Question 1: The nurse visits the home of an older person with chronic lung disease. which observation indicates that the person is engaged in health improvement activities?
- Walks a pet twice a day (Correct answer)
- Prepares pasta for dinner
- Talks with family once a week
- Sleeps in a recliner
Correct answer: Walks a pet twice a day
Walking a pet twice daily provides regular, moderate physical activity, which improves lung function, circulation, and overall endurance in someone with chronic lung disease. Preparing pasta, talking with family once a week, and sleeping in a recliner do not represent active health improvement behaviors and the recliner position can actually worsen respiratory function.
Question 2: The nurse visits the home of an older person recovering from an exacerbation of a chronic illness. which observation indicates to the nurse that the person has dispelled the myth that older people cannot learn new things?
- Planning to meet friends for lunch
- Researching medications on the internet (Correct answer)
- Scheduling an ophthalmologic
- Preparing a shopping list
Correct answer: Researching medications on the internet
Researching medications on the internet demonstrates initiative in learning new technology and seeking health information, directly countering the myth that older adults cannot learn new things. Planning lunch, scheduling appointments, and writing shopping lists are routine tasks that do not require acquiring new knowledge or skills.
Question 3: The nurse prepares an educational program on healthy aging for a community group. which segment of the population should the nurse explain as bring the fastest growing in the US?
- Middle-age
- B Middle-old
- Old-old (Correct answer)
- Young-old
Correct answer: Old-old
The 'old-old' population (typically age 85 and older) is the fastest-growing demographic segment in the US due to advances in medicine and increased longevity. Middle-aged and young-old groups are growing more slowly, and 'middle-old' is not a standard demographic classification.
Question 4: A resident of an assisted-living facility enjoys her new apartment but is disappointed that so many females reside there alone. what does this resident's observation suggest about older men?
- they are healthy enough to live in their own homes
- They tend to live with family when they age
- They do not live as long as women (Correct answer)
- They do not like to live in assisted ling facilities
Correct answer: They do not live as long as women
Men have a shorter average life expectancy than women, so by advanced age more women survive and often live alone or in assisted-living facilities. The observation that few men reside there reflects this longevity gap, not preferences about living arrangements or ability to live independently.
Question 5: The nurse notes that an older person has difficulty removing clothes in preparation for a physical assessment. on which area should the nurse focus when determining this person's ability to perform activities of daily living?
- Housekeeping
- Laundry
- Bathing (Correct answer)
- Walking
Correct answer: Bathing
Difficulty removing clothes directly relates to dressing, which is a core Activity of Daily Living (ADL) alongside bathing, toileting, transferring, continence, and feeding. Bathing also involves manipulating clothing and garments, making it the most relevant ADL to assess given this observation. Housekeeping, laundry, and walking are either instrumental ADLs or a separate functional domain.
Question 6: The nurse plans an educational wellness program for a group of older adults residing in the community. on which topic should the nurse focus the majority of the information?
- benefits of treating depression with medications
- Managing Alzheimer's disease symptoms
- benefits of remaining socially active
- managing heart failure symptoms (Correct answer)
Correct answer: managing heart failure symptoms
Heart failure is one of the most common and serious chronic conditions in older adults, requiring ongoing symptom management to prevent hospitalizations and maintain quality of life, making it the priority focus for a wellness program. While depression, Alzheimer's, and social activity are all important, heart failure management has the highest prevalence and acute risk impact in this population.
Question 7: An older person who recently retired expresses delight in not having to get up and go work every morning. which theory of aging does this person's statement demonstrate to the nurse?
- individualism
- disengagement
- continuity (Correct answer)
- activity
Correct answer: continuity
(in the continuity theory, the pace of activities may be slower and for some, the relief from time pressures and deadlines is a bounty of older age. the activity theory proposes that older adults should stay active and engaged if they are to age successfully. in the theory of individualism, the focus shifts away from the external world toward inner experiences as the older person searches for answers to life's riddles and find the essence of the true self. in the disengagement theory, the pattern of behavior in later life is for the older person to withdraw so that social equilibrium is maintained)
Question 8: An older person states that "it's just a matter of time" before a knee and hip replacement will be needed. which theory of aging is this older person describing to the nurse?
- endocrine
- programmed longevity
- wear and tear (Correct answer)
- immunological
Correct answer: wear and tear
The wear and tear theory proposes that the body deteriorates over time from repeated use and accumulated stress, much like mechanical parts wearing out—exactly what the person is describing with joint replacement needs. Endocrine, programmed longevity, and immunological theories attribute aging to hormonal changes, genetic programming, or immune system decline, not physical mechanical deterioration.
Question 9: The nurse learns that an older person takes several vitamin and nutritional supplements everyday. which theory of aging is supported by this older person's behavior?
- free radical (Correct answer)
- somatic DNA damage
- cross link
- wear and tear
Correct answer: free radical
The free radical theory of aging holds that unstable oxygen molecules (free radicals) cause cumulative cellular damage over time, and antioxidant supplements are believed to neutralize these free radicals—explaining why this person takes vitamins and nutritional supplements. Somatic DNA damage, cross-link, and wear and tear theories do not specifically support antioxidant supplementation as a countermeasure.
Question 10: An adult daughter is concerned about her 85 year old mother's disinterest in activities since retiring from a full-time teaching position. which theory of aging should the nurse use to help explain this older person's behavior?
- development
- disengagement (Correct answer)
- activity
- continuity
Correct answer: disengagement
The disengagement theory of aging describes a mutual, gradual withdrawal between the older adult and society, where retiring from active roles (like teaching) leads to reduced activity and social involvement, which the theory views as a natural process. Activity theory would predict the opposite behavior, continuity theory would expect maintained habits, and developmental theory focuses on life stages rather than social withdrawal.
Question 11: The nurse is preparing to discharge an older client with instructions on smoking cessation. The nurse states to a colleague, "This client has been smoking for years and isn't going to stop now." Which negative stereotype of aging does the nurse's statement most reflect?
- 1. Old people are expected to be sick
- 2. Old people are set in their ways.
- 3. Old people do not value health promotion education (Correct answer)
- 4. Old people are a drain on societal resources
Correct answer: 3. Old people do not value health promotion education
1. Many older adults have chronic disease but function well. 2. Often people characterize the elderly in a negative way, believing that after a certain age, things cannot be changed. Older people can learn new things and take up new hobbies they can enjoy and give life meaning and pleasure. 3. Although it may not be possible to reverse all the damage, it is never too late to stop smoking cigarettes. People who quit smoking at an older age enjoy better health outcomes. 4. Older people contribute greatly to society by volunteering, helping with grandchildren, mentoring others, and continue working.
Free GNA Skills Required Questions and Answers
The nurse visits the home of an older person with chronic lung disease. which observation indicates that the person is engaged in health improvement activities?