N513 Exam (Ch. 43)

The nurse recognizes that teaching a patient following a laparoscopic cholecystectomy has been effective when the patient makes which statement? a. "I can take a shower and walk around the house tomorrow." b. "I need to limit my activities and not return to work for 4 weeks." c. "I can expect yellowish drainage from the incision for a few days." d. "I will follow a low-fat diet for life because I do not have a gallbladder."

A After a laparoscopic cholecystectomy, patients are discharged the same (or next) day and have few restrictions on activities of daily living. Drainage from the incisions would be abnormal, and the patient should be instructed to call the health care provider if this occurs. A low-fat diet may be recommended for a few weeks after surgery but will not be a lifelong requirement.

A patient in the outpatient clinic is diagnosed with acute hepatitis C (HCV) infection. Which action by the nurse is appropriate? a. Schedule the patient for HCV genotype testing. b. Administer the HCV vaccine and immune globulin. c. Teach the patient about ribavirin (Rebetol) treatment. d. Explain that the infection will resolve over a few months.

A Genotyping of HCV has an important role in managing treatment and is done before drug therapy is initiated. Because most patients with acute HCV infection convert to the chronic state, the nurse should not teach the patient that the HCV will resolve in a few months. Immune globulin or vaccine is not available for HCV. Ribavirin is used for chronic HCV infection.

A patient has been admitted with acute liver failure. Which assessment data are most important for the nurse to communicate to the health care provider? a. Asterixis and lethargy b. Jaundiced sclera and skin c. Elevated total bilirubin level d. Liver 3 cm below costal margin

A The patient's findings of asterixis and lethargy are consistent with grade 2 hepatic encephalopathy. Patients with acute liver failure can deteriorate rapidly from grade 1 or 2 to grade 3 or 4 hepatic encephalopathy and need early transfer to a transplant center. The other findings are typical of patients with hepatic failure and would be reported but would not indicate a need for an immediate change in the therapeutic plan.

Which finding indicates to the nurse that lactulose is effective for an older adult who has advanced cirrhosis? a. The patient is alert and oriented. b. The patient denies nausea or anorexia. c. The patient's bilirubin level decreases. d. The patient has at least one stool daily.

A The purpose of lactulose in the patient with cirrhosis is to lower ammonia levels and prevent encephalopathy. Although lactulose may be used to treat constipation, that is not the purpose for this patient. Lactulose will not decrease nausea and vomiting or lower bilirubin levels.

What risk factor will the nurse specifically ask about when a patient is being admitted with acute pancreatitis? a. Diabetes b. Alcohol use c. High-protein diet d. Cigarette smoking

B Alcohol use is one of the most common risk factors for pancreatitis in the United States. Cigarette smoking, diabetes, and high-protein diets are not risk factors.

Which information from a 70-yr-old patient during a health history indicates to the nurse that the patient should be screened for hepatitis C? a. The patient had a blood transfusion in 2005. b. The patient used IV drugs about 20 years ago. c. The patient frequently eats in fast-food restaurants. d. The patient traveled to a country with poor sanitation.

B Any patient with a history of IV drug use should be tested for hepatitis C. Blood transfusions given after 1992 (when an antibody test for hepatitis C became available) do not pose a risk for hepatitis C. Hepatitis C is not spread by the oral-fecal route and therefore is not caused by contaminated food or by traveling in underdeveloped countries.

The nurse is caring for a patient who has cirrhosis. Which data obtained by the nurse during the assessment will be of most concern? a. The patient reports right upper-quadrant pain with palpation. b. The patient's hands flap back and forth when the arms are extended. c. The patient has ascites and a 2-kg weight gain from the previous day. d. The patient's abdominal skin has multiple spider-shaped blood vessels.

B Asterixis indicates that the patient has hepatic encephalopathy, and hepatic coma may occur. The spider angiomas and right upper quadrant abdominal pain are not unusual for the patient with cirrhosis and do not require a change in treatment. The ascites and weight gain indicate the need for treatment but not as urgently as the changes in neurologic status.

Which action should the nurse take to evaluate treatment effectiveness for a patient who has hepatic encephalopathy? a. Request that the patient stand on one foot. b. Ask the patient to extend both arms forward. c. Request that the patient walk with eyes closed. d. Ask the patient to perform the Valsalva maneuver.

B Extending the arms allows the nurse to check for asterixis, a classic sign of hepatic encephalopathy. The other tests might be done as part of the neurologic assessment but would not be diagnostic for hepatic encephalopathy.

What topic should the nurse plan to teach the patient diagnosed with acute hepatitis B? a. Administering -interferon b. Measures for improving appetite c. Side effects of nucleotide analogs d. Ways to increase activity and exercise

B Maintaining adequate nutritional intake is important for regeneration of hepatocytes. Interferon and antivirals may be used for chronic hepatitis B, but they are not prescribed for acute hepatitis B infection. Rest is recommended.

The nurse is planning care for a patient with acute severe pancreatitis. What is the highest priority patient outcome? a. Having fluid and electrolyte balance b. Maintaining normal respiratory function c. Expressing satisfaction with pain control d. Developing no ongoing pancreatic disease

B Respiratory failure can occur as a complication of acute pancreatitis and maintenance of adequate respiratory function is the priority goal. The other outcomes would also be appropriate for the patient.

Which assessment information will be most important for the nurse to report to the health care provider about a patient who has acute cholecystitis? a. The patient's urine is bright yellow. b. The patient's stools are tan colored. c. The patient reports chronic heartburn. d. The patient has increased pain after eating.

B Tan or gray stools indicate biliary obstruction, which requires rapid intervention to resolve. The other data are not unusual for a patient with this diagnosis, although the nurse would also report the other assessment information to the health care provider.

Which goal has the highest priority in the plan of care for a 26-yr-old patient who was admitted with viral hepatitis, has severe anorexia and fatigue, and is homeless? a. Increase activity level. b. Maintain adequate nutrition. c. Establish a stable environment. d. Identify source of hepatitis exposure.

B The highest priority outcome is to maintain nutrition because adequate nutrition is needed for hepatocyte regeneration. Finding a home for the patient and identifying the source of the infection would be appropriate activities, but they do not have as high a priority as ensuring adequate nutrition. Although the patient's activity level will be gradually increased, rest is indicated during the acute phase of hepatitis.

What is most important for the nurse to monitor to detect possible complications in a patient with severe cirrhosis who has bleeding esophageal varices? a. Bilirubin levels b. Ammonia levels c. Potassium levels d. Prothrombin time

B The protein in the blood in the gastrointestinal tract will be absorbed and may result in an increase in the ammonia level because the liver cannot metabolize protein very well. The prothrombin time, bilirubin, and potassium levels should also be monitored, but they will not be affected by the bleeding episode.

A patient admitted with an abrupt onset of jaundice and nausea has abnormal liver function studies, but serologic testing is negative for viral causes of hepatitis. Which question by the nurse is appropriate? a. "Have you taken corticosteroids?" b. "Do you have a history of IV drug use?" c. "Do you use any over-the-counter drugs?" d. "Have you recently traveled to another country?"

C The patient's symptoms, lack of antibodies for hepatitis, and the abrupt onset of symptoms suggest toxic hepatitis, which can be caused by commonly used over-the-counter drugs such as acetaminophen (Tylenol). Travel to a foreign country and a history of IV drug use are risk factors for viral hepatitis. Corticosteroid use does not cause the symptoms listed.

Which assessment finding is of most concern for a patient with acute pancreatitis? a. Absent bowel sounds b. Abdominal tenderness c. Left upper quadrant pain d. Palpable abdominal mass

D A palpable abdominal mass may indicate the presence of a pancreatic abscess, which will require rapid surgical drainage to prevent sepsis. Absent bowel sounds, abdominal tenderness, and left upper quadrant pain are common in acute pancreatitis and do not require rapid action to prevent further complications.

A young adult contracts hepatitis from contaminated food. What should the nurse expect serologic testing to reveal during the acute (icteric) phase of the patient's illness? a. Antibody to hepatitis D (anti-HDV) b. Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) c. Anti-hepatitis A virus immunoglobulin G (anti-HAV IgG) d. Anti-hepatitis A virus immunoglobulin M (anti-HAV IgM)

D Hepatitis A is transmitted through the oral-fecal route, and antibody to HAV IgM appears during the acute phase of hepatitis A. The patient would not have antigen for hepatitis B or antibody for hepatitis D. Anti-HAV IgG would indicate past infection and lifelong immunity

A patient with acute pancreatitis is NPO and has a nasogastric (NG) tube to suction. Which information obtained by the nurse indicates that these therapies have been effective? a. Bowel sounds are present. b. Grey Turner sign resolves. c. Electrolyte levels are normal. d. Abdominal pain is decreased.

D NG suction and NPO status will decrease the release of pancreatic enzymes into the pancreas and decrease pain. Although bowel sounds may be hypotonic with acute pancreatitis, the presence of bowel sounds does not indicate that treatment with NG suction and NPO status has been effective. Electrolyte levels may be abnormal with NG suction and must be replaced by appropriate IV infusion. Although Grey Turner sign will eventually resolve, it would not be appropriate to wait for this to occur to determine whether treatment was effective.

Which finding indicates to the nurse that a patient's transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) placed 3 months ago has been effective? a. Increased serum albumin level b. Decreased indirect bilirubin level c. Improved alertness and orientation d. Fewer episodes of bleeding varices

D TIPS is used to lower pressure in the portal venous system and decrease the risk of bleeding from esophageal varices. Indirect bilirubin level and serum albumin levels are not affected by shunting procedures. TIPS will increase the risk for hepatic encephalopathy.