An 82-year-old patient who is in the hospital awakens from sleep and is disoriented to where she is at the present time. The nurse reorients the patient to her surroundings and helps the patient return to sleep. What data does the nurse consider as a probable cause of the patient's confusion?

A) Pain medication received earlier in the night
B) The death of the patient's spouse 2 years ago
C) The patient's history of diabetes
D) The age of the patient

Question

Blake Simmons · Accepted Answer

Final Answer : A, Explanation :  Medications such as narcotics, hypertensives, sleeping meds, and others can cause disorientation and symptoms of delirium. The death of a spouse is more likely to cause depression than disorientation. A history of diabetes alone does not cause disorientation. Normal aging alone does not cause disorientation, although it is a risk factor.

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