Examkin

Question

Difficulty: EasyCollaboration with Interdisciplinary Team

A nurse is preparing an older adult client with severe rheumatoid arthritis for discharge to home. The client has significant joint deformities in both hands and expresses frustration, stating, "I cannot even hold a fork or button my own shirt anymore." Which of the following is the most appropriate action for the nurse to take?

  1. Initiate a referral to an occupational therapist to evaluate the client for adaptive devices for activities of daily living.Answer
  2. B
    Request a physical therapy consultation as the highest priority to help the client regain fine motor skills and hand strength.
  3. C
    Delegate the task of teaching the client how to use specialized feeding utensils to the unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP).
  4. D
    Document the client's functional decline as a normal physiological consequence of the aging process.

Answer

The most appropriate action is to initiate a referral to an occupational therapist to assist the client with adaptive devices for activities of daily living.
An occupational therapist specializes in helping clients achieve independence in activities of daily living (ADLs), such as feeding and dressing, often by recommending and teaching the use of adaptive equipment. This directly addresses the client's impaired fine motor skills.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the client's clinical presentation and stated concerns.
The client is experiencing specific difficulty with fine motor skills and activities of daily living (ADLs), such as holding a fork and buttoning a shirt.
Identifying the specific functional deficit is necessary to determine which interdisciplinary team member is most appropriate for a referral.
2
Select the appropriate interprofessional team member to address the deficit.
The occupational therapist (OT) is the expert in helping clients regain independence in ADLs through the use of adaptive equipment and fine motor rehabilitation.
Occupational therapy focuses on fine motor skills and daily living tasks, whereas other disciplines have different clinical scopes.

Key Concept

Occupational Therapy Role in Activities of Daily Living
Rate this question

Topics

Collaboration with Interdisciplinary Team

More questions from this topic