doc4mindia
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A 70-year-old man has had two traffic accidents in the past month because he failed to stop at a red light and a stop sign. He denies that the accidents were his fault. He has mildly impaired mental status and a slow, broad-based gait. Thorough evaluation does not show that his mental or physical impairments will improve.
Which of the following is the most appropriate next step in management?
a. Advise the family to prohibit him from driving
b. Refer him for neurologic evaluation
C. Report the findings to the state department of motor vehicles
d. No intervention
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| meg
Forum Guru
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it is normal for elderly to have a slow broad based gait. mild impaired mental status should be elaborated as whether not oriented to time, person etc or memory problem....etc
else I would choose D
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| doc4mindia
Forum Guru
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The answer Is C
Physicians frequently care for elderly persons whose actions may endanger others. Maintaining confidentiality respects the privacy of patients and encourages them to discuss their problems. In exceptional situations, however, confidentiality should be overridden to protect third parties from serious harm. In many states, physicians have a legal obligation to report persons whose medical conditions, including mental impairment, may cause them to endanger others while driving. A driver's license is issued to residents by the state, and the physicians is not obligated to try to persuade or force the impaired person to stop driving. Reporting the patient's medical condition to the state, however, will result in the state's administering a test of driving ability to determine fitness for licensure. The physician should advise the patient and the family that medical conditions may impair driving abilities.
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