Question

During the neurologic assessment of a client the nurse would like to include questions to assess the client's ability to make health care decisions. Which tool can the nurse use to do this assessment?

A. Hopkins Competency Assessment
B. General Health Questionnaire
C. Mini-mental State Examination
D. Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia

Answer 1

The nurse can use the Hopkins Competency Assessment tool to evaluate a client's ability to make health care decisions during a neurologic assessment. It is designed to evaluate cognitive abilities related to decision-making competency.

Step-by-step explanation:

When assessing a client's ability to make health care decisions during a neurologic assessment, the nurse can use the Hopkins Competency Assessment tool. This assessment tool is designed to evaluate cognitive abilities relevant for determining an individual's competency, particularly in relation to health care decision-making.

On the other hand, the Mini-mental State Examination (MMSE) is another commonly used tool that assesses different areas of cognitive function, including orientation, registration, attention and calculation, recall, and language, which can also provide insight into the patient's cognitive status and aid in assessing capacity. However, the Hopkins Competency Assessment is specifically tailored for assessing decision-making capabilities.