Question

The nurse is assessing a patient with a mental status examination. The nurse asks the patient, 'If you had fever and vomiting for 3 days, what would you do?' Which aspect of the mental status examination is the nurse assessing?

1) Behavior
2) Cognition
3) Affect
4) Perceptual disturbances

Answer 1

The nurse is assessing the patient's cognition through the mental status examination when asking about the patient's response to having fever and vomiting for 3 days.

Step-by-step explanation:

The nurse is assessing the patient's cognition through the mental status examination when asking about the patient's response to having fever and vomiting for 3 days.

Cognition refers to the mental processes and abilities related to perception, reasoning, memory, and problem-solving.

By asking about the patient's hypothetical actions in response to illness symptoms, the nurse can evaluate the patient's judgment, decision-making, and problem-solving abilities.