Med Surg chapter 25

A client is being prepared to undergo laboratory and diagnostic testing to confirm the diagnosis of cirrhosis. Which test would the nurse expect to be used to provide definitive confirmation of the disorder?

ammonia

A client has just been diagnosed with hepatitis A. On assessment, the nurse expects to note:

anorexia, nausea, and vomiting.

Which symptoms will a nurse observe most commonly in clients with pancreatitis?

severe, radiating abdominal pain

A patient with suspected esophageal varices is scheduled for an upper endoscopy with moderate sedation. After the procedure is performed, how long should the nurse withhold food and fluids?

until gag reflux returns

A client with severe and chronic liver disease is showing manifestations related to inadequate vitamin intake and metabolism. He reports difficulty driving at night because he cannot see well. Which of the following vitamins is most likely deficient for this client?

vitamin A

A client with acute pancreatitis has been started on total parenteral nutrition (TPN). Which action should the nurse perform after administration of the TPN?

Measure blood glucose concentration every 4 to 6 hours

A client who has just been diagnosed with hepatitis A asks, "How did I get this disease?" What is the nurse's best response?

"You may have eaten contaminated restaurant food."

A nurse should monitor blood glucose levels for a patient diagnosed with hyperinsulinism. What blood glucose level does the nurse recognize as inadequate to sustain normal brain function?

30 mg/dL

A client is evaluated for severe pain in the right upper abdominal quadrant, which is accompanied by nausea and vomiting. The physician diagnoses acute cholecystitis and cholelithiasis. For this client, which nursing diagnosis takes top priority?

Acute pain related to biliary spasms

A client with a history of alcohol abuse comes to the emergency department and complains of abdominal pain. Laboratory studies help confirm a diagnosis of acute pancreatitis. The client's vital signs are stable, but the client's pain is worsening and radiating to his back. Which intervention takes priority for this client?

Administering morphine I.V. as ordered

The nurse is caring for a patient with cirrhosis of the liver and observes that the patient is having hand-flapping tremors. What does the nurse document this finding as?

Asterixis

The nurse is caring for a patient with hepatic encephalopathy. While making the initial shift assessment, the nurse notes that the patient has a flapping tremor of the hands. What will the nurse document this condition as in the patient's chart?

Asterixis

A client comes to the clinic and informs the nurse that he is there to see the physician for right upper abdominal discomfort, nausea, and frequent belching especially after eating a meal high in fat. What disorder do these symptoms correlate with?

Cholelithiasis

When assessing a client with cirrhosis of the liver, which of the following stool characteristics is the client likely to report?

Clay-colored or whitish

A client and spouse are visiting the clinic. The client recently experienced a seizure and says she has been having difficulty writing. Before the seizure, the client says that for several weeks she was sleeping late into the day but having restlessness and insomnia at night. The client's husband says that he has noticed the client has been moody and slightly confused. Which of the following problems is most consistent with the client's clinical manifestations?

Hepatic encephalopathy

A nurse is preparing a presentation for a local community group about hepatitis. Which of the following would the nurse include?

Hepatitis C increases a person's risk for liver cancer.

A client is scheduled for a cholecystogram for later in the day. What is the nurse's understanding on the diagnostic use of this exam?

It visualizes the gallbladder and bile duct

A client is being prepared to undergo laboratory and diagnostic testing to confirm the diagnosis of cirrhosis. Which test would the nurse expect to be used to provide definitive confirmation of the disorder?

Liver biopsy

A 49-year-old man with a history of heavy alcohol use and liver cirrhosis has been admitted to the hospital's medical unit due to an exacerbation of his health problems that has resulted in massive ascites. The nurse should be prepared to implement which of the following interventions in an effort to resolve the patient's ascites?

Low-sodium diet and administration of diuretics

When performing a physical examination on a client with cirrhosis, a nurse notices that the client's abdomen is enlarged. Which of the following interventions should the nurse consider?

Measure abdominal girth according to a set routine

After being in remission from Hodgkin's disease for 18 months, a client develops a fever of unknown origin. A healthcare provider orders a liver biopsy to rule out advancing Hodgkin's disease and infection. Twenty-four hours after the biopsy, the client has a fever, complains of severe abdominal pain, and seems increasingly confused. What should the nurse suspect?

Peritonitis from bleeding in the liver caused by the liver biopsy

A client with cirrhosis has portal hypertension, which is causing esophageal varices. What is the goal of the interventions that the nurse will provide?

Reduce fluid accumulation and venous pressure.

A client is admitted to the health care facility with abdominal pain, a low-grade fever, abdominal distention, and weight loss. The physician diagnoses acute pancreatitis. What is the primary goal of nursing care for this client?

Relieving abdominal pain

The nurse is concerned about potassium loss when a diuretic is prescribed for a patient with ascites and edema. What diuretic may be ordered that spares potassium and prevents hypokalemia?

Spironolactone (Aldactone)

A patient is scheduled for a diagnostic paracentesis, but when coagulation studies were reviewed, the nurse observed they were abnormal. How does the nurse anticipate the physician will proceed with the paracentesis?

The physician will use an ultrasound guided paracentesis

A patient with severe chronic liver dysfunction comes to the clinic with bleeding of the gums and blood in the stool. What vitamin deficiency does the nurse suspect the patient may be experiencing?

Vitamin K deficiency

Which condition indicates an overdose of lactulose?

Watery diarrhea

Total parental nutrition (TPN) should be used cautiously in clients with pancreatitis because such clients:

cannot tolerate high-glucose concentration.

A client with suspected biliary obstruction due to gallstones reports changes to the color of his stools. Which stool color does the nurse recognize as common to biliary obstruction?

gray

Clinical manifestations of common bile duct obstruction include all of the following except Jaundice Clay-colored feces Light-colored urine Pruritus

light colored urine

Which enzyme aids in the digestion of fats?

lipase

A nurse educator is providing an in-service to a group of nurses working on a medical floor that specializes in liver disorders. What is an important education topic regarding ingestion of medications?

metabolism of medications

Which medication is used to decrease portal pressure, halting bleeding of esophageal varices?

Vasopressin