Question

An elderly patient comes to the clinic with her daughter. The patient is a diabetic and is concerned about foot care. The nurse goes over foot care with the patient and her daughter as the nurse realizes that foot care is extremely important. Why would the nurse feel that foot care is so important to this patient?

A) An elderly patient with foot ulcers experiences severe foot pain due to the diabetic polyneuropathy
B) Avoiding foot ulcers may mean the difference between institutionalization and continued independent living
C) Hypoglycemia is linked with a risk for falls; this risk is elevated in older adults with diabetes
D) Oral antihyperglycemics have the possible adverse effect of decreased circulation to the lower extremities

Answer 1

The nurse would feel that foot care is extremely important to the elderly patient with diabetes due to the complications that can arise from the disease, including increased risk of injury, infection, and tissue death. Therefore, proper foot care is essential to prevent serious complications.

Step-by-step explanation:

The nurse would feel that foot care is extremely important to the elderly patient because of the complications that diabetes can cause. Persistently high levels of glucose in the blood can lead to inflammation and injury of the blood vessels and nerves, which can result in a loss of sensation in the hands and feet. This can increase the risk of injury, infection, and tissue death, which may lead to amputations. Additionally, diabetes can cause a dangerous form of metabolic acidosis called ketoacidosis. Therefore, proper foot care is essential to prevent foot ulcers, infections, and serious complications in diabetic patients.