2. As a nurse in a clinic that is held weekly in the local senior center, you perform comprehensive
physical assessments and prepare your patients for a general exam by the gerontologist, who
offers free care to low-income seniors. The physician places great importance on detecting early
neurologic changes in this population. (Learning Objectives #1 & #5)
a. In a mental status assessment, what findings would be considered outside normal limits?
b. In the early stages of neurological impairment, which orientation is typically lost first?
C. How might you assess this orientation?
d. Which inquiries could be used to assess a patient's immediate memory?
e. What might a patient's inability to follow a simple command indicate?