Diverticulitis & Appendicitis NCLEX

Which foods should the nurse encourage a client with diverticulosis to incorporate into the diet? Select all that apply. 1. Bran cereal. 2. Broccoli. 3. Tomato juice. 4. Navy beans. 5. Cheese.

1, 2, 4. Clients with diverticulosis are encouraged to follow a high-fiber diet. Bran, broccoli, and navy beans are foods high in fiber. Tomato juice and cheese are low-residue foods.

A client with diverticulitis has developed peritonitis following diverticular rupture. The nurse should assess the client to determine which of the following? Select all that apply. 1. Percuss the abdomen to note resonance and tympany. 2. Percuss the liver to note lack of dullness. 3. Monitor the vital signs for fever, tachypnea, and bradycardia. 4. Assess presence of polyphagia and polydipsia. 5. Auscultate bowel sounds to note frequency.

1, 2, 5. Assessment during peritonitis will reveal fever, tachypnea, and tachycardia. The abdomen becomes rigid with rebound tenderness and there will be absent bowel sounds. Percussion will show resonance and tympany indicating paralytic ileus; loss of liver dullness may indicate free air in the abdomen. There is anorexia, nausea, and vomiting as peristalsis decreases.

The nurse is aware that the diagnostic tests typically ordered for acute diverticulitis do not include a barium enema. The reason for this is that a barium enema: 1. Can perforate an intestinal abscess. 2. Would greatly increase the client's pain. 3. Is of minimal diagnostic value in diverticulitis. 4. Is too lengthy a procedure for the client to tolerate.

1. Barium enemas and colonoscopies are contraindicated in clients with acute diverticulitis because they can lead to perforation of the colon and peritonitis. A barium enema may be ordered after the client has been treated with antibiotic therapy and the inflammation has subsided. A barium enema is diagnostic in diverticulitis. A barium enema could increase the client's pain; however, that is not a reason for excluding this test. The client may be able to tolerate the procedure but the concern is the potential for perforation of the intestine.

A client with diverticular disease is receiving psyllium hydrophilic mucilloid (Metamucil). The drug has been effective when the client tells the nurse that he: 1. Passes stool without cramping. 2. Does not have diarrhea any longer. 3. Is not as anxious as he was. 4. Does not expel gas like he used to.

1. Diverticular disease is treated with a high-fiber diet and bulk laxatives such as psyllium hydrophilic mucilloid (Metamucil). Fiber decreases the intraluminal pressure and makes it easier for stool to pass through the colon. Bulk laxatives do not manage diarrhea, anxiety or relieve gas formation.

A client who had an appendectomy for a perforated appendix returns from surgery with a drain inserted in the incisional site. The purpose of the drain is to: 1. Provide access for wound irrigation. 2. Promote drainage of wound exudates. 3. Minimize development of scar tissue. 4. Decrease postoperative discomfort.

2. Drains are inserted postoperatively in appendectomies when an abscess was present or the appendix was perforated. The purpose is to promote drainage of exudate from the wound and facilitate healing. A drain is not used for irrigation of the wound. The drain will not minimize scar tissue development or decrease postoperative discomfort.

After instructing a client with diverticulosis about appropriate self-care activities, which of the following client comments indicate effective teaching? Select all that apply. 1. "With careful attention to my diet, my diverticulosis can be cured." 2. "Using a cathartic laxative weekly is okay to control bowel movements." 3. "I should follow a diet that's high in fiber." 4. "It is important for me to drink at least 2,000 mL of fluid every day." 5. "I should exercise regularly."

3, 4, 5. Clients who have diverticulosis should be instructed to maintain a diet high in fiber and, unless contraindicated, should increase their fluid intake to a minimum of 2,000 mL/ day. Participating in a regular exercise program is also strongly encouraged. Diverticulosis can be controlled with treatment but cannot be cured. Clients should be instructed to avoid the regular use of cathartic laxatives. Bulk laxatives and stool softeners may be helpful to maintain regularity and decrease straining.

Which of the following laboratory findings would the nurse expect to find in a client with diverticulitis? 1. Elevated red blood cell count. 2. Decreased platelet count. 3. Elevated white blood cell count. 4. Elevated serum blood urea nitrogen concentration.

3. Because of the inflammatory nature of diverticulitis, the nurse would anticipate an elevated white blood cell count. The remaining laboratory findings are not associated with diverticulitis. Elevated red blood cell counts occur in clients with polycythemia vera or fluid volume deficit. Decreased platelet counts can occur as a result of aplastic anemias or malignant blood disorders, as an adverse effect of some drugs, and as a result of some heritable conditions. Elevated serum blood urea nitrogen concentration is usually associated with renal conditions.

The nurse should teach the client with diverticulitis to integrate which of the following into a daily routine at home? 1. Using enemas to relieve constipation. 2. Decreasing fluid intake to increase the formed consistency of the stool. 3. Eating a high-fiber diet when symptomatic with diverticulitis. 4. Refraining from straining and lifting activities.

4. Clients with diverticular disease should refrain from any activities, such as lifting, straining, or coughing, that increase intra-abdominal pressure and may precipitate an attack. Enemas are contraindicated because they increase intestinal pressure. Fluid intake should be increased, rather than decreased, to promote soft, formed stools. A low-fiber diet is used when inflammation is present.

A client with acute appendicitis develops a fever, tachycardia, and hypotension. Based on these assessment findings, the nurse should further assess the client for which of the following complications? 1. Deficient fluid volume. 2. Intestinal obstruction. 3. Bowel ischemia. 4. Peritonitis.

4. Complications of acute appendicitis are perforation, peritonitis, and abscess development. Signs of the development of peritonitis include abdominal pain and distention, tachycardia, tachypnea, nausea, vomiting, and fever. Because peritonitis can cause hypovolemic shock, hypotension can develop. Deficient fluid volume would not cause a fever. Intestinal obstruction would cause abdominal distention, diminished or absent bowel sounds, and abdominal pain. Bowel ischemia has signs and symptoms similar to those found with intestinal obstruction.

A nurse is providing wound care to a client 1 day after the client underwent an appendectomy. A drain was inserted into the incisional site during surgery. Which action should the nurse perform when providing wound care? 1. Remove the dressing and leave the incision open to air. 2. Remove the drain if wound drainage is minimal. 3. Gently irrigate the drain to remove exudate. 4. Clean the area around the drain moving away from the drain.

4. The nurse should gently clean the area around the drain by moving in a circular motion away from the drain. Doing so prevents the introduction of microorganisms to the wound and drain site. The incision cannot be left open to air as long as the drain is intact. The nurse should note the amount and character of wound drainage, but the surgeon will determine when the drain should be removed. Surgical wound drains are not irrigated.

Postoperative nursing care for a client after an appendectomy should include which of the following? 1. Administering sitz baths four times a day. 2. Noting the first bowel movement after surgery. 3. Limiting the client's activity to bathroom privileges. 4. Measuring abdominal girth every 2 hours.

2. Noting the client's first bowel movement after surgery is important because this indicates that normal peristalsis has returned. Sitz baths are used after rectal surgery, not appendectomy. Ambulation is started the day of surgery and is not confined to bathroom privileges. The abdomen should be auscultated for bowel sounds and palpated for softness, but there is no need to measure the girth every 2 hours.

The nurse is admitting a client with acute appendicitis to the emergency department. The client has abdominal pain of 10 on a pain scale of 1 to 10. The client will be going to surgery as soon as possible. The nurse should: 1. Contact the surgeon to request an order for a narcotic for the pain. 2. Maintain the client in a recumbent position. 3. Place the client on nothing-by-mouth (NPO) status. 4. Apply heat to the abdomen in the area of the pain.

3. The nurse should place the client on NPO status in anticipation of surgery. The nurse can initiate pain relief strategies, such as relaxation techniques, but the surgeon will likely not order narcotic medication prior to surgery. The nurse can place the client in a position that is most comfortable for the client. Heat is contraindicated because it may lead to perforation of the appendix.