Question

A home care nurse visits a client with Parkinson's disease. The nurse observes that the client has rhythmic, repetitive movements of the hands. The home care nurse documents this as which of the following?

a) Tremor
b) Dystonia
c) Ataxia
d) Athetosis

Answer 1

The rhythmic, repetitive hand movements observed by a nurse in a Parkinson's patient are commonly documented as tremor, a defining motor symptom of Parkinson's disease alongside rigidity, bradykinesia, and postural instability.

Step-by-step explanation:

A home care nurse documenting the rhythmic, repetitive movements of the hands in a client with Parkinson's disease would likely denote this as tremor. Tremor is a classical symptom of Parkinson's and appears as a shaking, which can be most prominent at rest and might decrease with voluntary movement.

Parkinson's is recognized by several major symptoms including rigidity, slowed movement, and postural instability, along with the signature tremor. This disease is caused by the loss of dopamine neurons in the substantia nigra, part of the midbrain involved in regulating movement. Although Parkinson's is primarily noted for its motor symptoms, patients may also develop cognitive issues such as memory decline, depression, and eventual dementia as the disease progresses. Tremor is the most visible of these motor symptoms and is a principal feature when diagnosing the disease.