An Older Client Reports Having a White Patch Inside the Mouth

question 12

Multiple Choice

An older client reports having a white patch inside the mouth. The nurse assesses a 2 cm by 2 cm lesion on the inner aspect of the left jaw. How should the nurse respond to the client?

• A) "Rinse with a mild solution of hydrogen peroxide and water."
• B) "The white patch is the result of aging and no cause for concern."
• C) "You should contact your healthcare provider for an evaluation of the area."
• D) "I think the patch looks like a bacterial infection and you will most likely need an antibiotic."

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Definitions:

Symbolic Function

A cognitive ability emerging in early childhood, allowing for the representation of objects, events, and ideas through symbols such as words or images.

Conservation

Piaget’s term for awareness that two objects that are equal according to a certain measure remain equal in the face of perceptual alteration so long as nothing has been added to or taken away from either object.

Symbolic Function

The ability to use symbols or abstract signs to represent something beyond direct experience.

Mental Representations

Internal images, ideas, or thoughts that stand in for objects, events, or relations in the outside world, aiding in cognition and perception.