APEA 3P Exam Prep – Health
Promotion Questions with
Correct Answers and
Explanations
A 58-year-old patient has an annual exam. A fecal occult blood test was used to screen for
colon cancer. Three were ordered on separate days. The first test was positive; the last
two were negative. How should the nurse practitioner proceed?
Rescreen in one year.
Perform a fourth exam.
Examine him for hemorrhoids.
Refer him for a colonoscopy.
A fecal occult blood test is performed multiple times on different days because tumors don’t
consistently excrete blood. The reason multiple tests are performed is to increase the
likelihood of identifying blood. The patient needs to have a colonoscopy performed for
examination of the colon. The standard of practice is to refer all positive colon cancer screens
for colonoscopy.
A criterion for medication choice in an older adult is:
long half-life to prevent frequent dosing.
dosing of 3-4 times daily.
pill color and shape for easy identification. half-
life less than 24 hours.
Many factors go into prescribing for older adults. Some important safety criteria include
established efficacy, low adverse event profile, and half-life less than 24 hours with no active
metabolites. Active metabolites would produce a longer effect of the drug in the patient.
Dosing of a medication three to four times daily invites dosing and medication errors. Once-
or twice-daily dosing is ideal. Pill color and shape is never a criterion for prescribing. Patients
who are cognitively able will recognize the color, shape, and size of pills they take on a regular
basis.
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