An Older Female Adult with Osteoarthritis Is Seen by the Nurse.She

Multiple Choice

An older female adult with osteoarthritis is seen by the nurse.She has a low-grade fever, and she tells the nurse that her pain is changing: it is worse at night and in her shoulder muscles.What should the nurse do to determine if the older person is now experiencing polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) rather than an exacerbation of her osteoarthritis?

A) Assess the patient's joints for swelling and redness.
B) Obtain blood specimens for blood cultures.
C) Direct the patient to report pain in the neck and upper arms, possibly evolving to the pelvic and pectoral girdles.
D) Tell the patient to apply moist heat for 20 minutes.