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Difficulty: MediumCollaboration with Interdisciplinary Team

A 78-year-old client with Parkinson's disease is hospitalized for pneumonia and is now stable, preparing for discharge. During breakfast, the nurse observes the client struggling to grasp utensils and repeatedly dropping food due to severe resting tremors. The spouse appears frustrated and states, "It takes so long for them to eat now, but I suppose losing coordination is just part of getting old." The nurse notes that the client's swallowing reflex remains intact, and there is no coughing or choking during the meal. Which action is most appropriate for the nurse to take?

  1. Obtain an order for an occupational therapist to assess the client for adaptive feeding equipment.Answer
  2. B
    Obtain an order for a speech-language pathologist to evaluate the client for aspiration risk.
  3. C
    Direct the nursing assistant to assume complete responsibility for feeding the client during meals.
  4. D
    Validate the spouse's concern by confirming that fine motor decline is an expected physiological change of aging.

Answer

Obtain an order for an occupational therapist to assess the client for adaptive feeding equipment.
The correct action is to consult an occupational therapist (OT). OTs specialize in evaluating and improving a client's ability to perform activities of daily living (ADLs), including self-feeding. They can recommend adaptive equipment, such as weighted or built-up utensils, which are highly effective for clients with Parkinson's disease who struggle with resting tremors.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the clinical assessment data provided in the scenario.
The client has severe resting tremors affecting their ability to grasp utensils (fine motor deficit), but their swallowing reflex is intact with no choking.
Identifying the specific functional deficit is necessary to determine the correct interdisciplinary referral.
2
Evaluate the spouse's statement regarding the client's condition.
The spouse incorrectly attributes the severe loss of coordination to normal aging rather than the pathology of Parkinson's disease.
Recognizing knowledge deficits helps determine if further education or intervention is needed.
3
Determine the most appropriate interdisciplinary team member to address the identified needs.
An occupational therapist is the correct referral to address the fine motor deficit and provide adaptive equipment for self-feeding.
Occupational therapists specialize in modifying activities of daily living (ADLs) and providing assistive devices to maximize client independence.

Key Concept

Interdisciplinary Collaboration for Activities of Daily Living (ADLs)
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Topics

Collaboration with Interdisciplinary Team

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