Chapter 20: GI

The nurse is caring for a child with a diagnosis of pyloric stenosis during the preoperative phase of the child's treatment. What is the highest priority at this time?

Improving hydration Explanation: Preoperatively, the highest priority for the child with pyloric stenosis is to improve nutrition and hydration. Maintaining mouth and skin integrity, and relieving family anxiety are important, but these are not the priority. The child will not likely have intense pain. Preparing the family for home care would be a postoperative goal

A mother calls the doctor's office and tells the nurse that she is concerned because her 4-month-old keeps "spitting up" with every feeding. What would indicate that the child is regurgitating as opposed to vomiting?

Only occurs with feeding Explanation: Regurgitation typically occurs only with feeding, runs out of the mouth with little force, smells barely sour and is only slightly curdled, appears to cause no pain or distress, occurs only once per feeding, and amounts to only about 1 to 2 tsp. Vomiting may occur at times other than feeding, is forceful and is typically projected 1 ft or more away from infant, is extremely sour smelling and curdled, is typically accompanied by crying, continues until the stomach is empty, and amounts to the full stomach contents.

The nurse is assessing a 10-day-old infant for dehydration. Which finding indicates severe dehydration?

Tenting of skin Explanation: Tenting of skin is an indicator of severe dehydration. Soft and flat fontanels (fontanelles) indicate mild dehydration. Pale and slightly dry mucosa indicates mild or moderate dehydration. Blood pressure of 80/42 mm Hg is a normal finding for an infant.

A 6-week-old infant is diagnosed with pyloric stenosis. When taking a health history from the parent, which symptom would the nurse expect to hear described?

Vomiting immediately after feeding Explanation: With pyloric stenosis the circular muscle pylorus is hypertrophied. This thickness causes gastric outlet obstruction. The condition is seen in younger infants starting at 3 to 6 weeks of age. The infant has projectile nonbilious vomiting. It occurs directly after eating and is not related to the feeding position. The infant is hungry shortly after eating. There is weight loss and/or dehydration. The treatment is a pyloromyotomy to reduce the increased size and increase the opening. Diarrhea is not associated with the disorder.

A 6-week-old infant is diagnosed with pyloric stenosis. When taking a health history from the parent, which symptom would the nurse expect to hear described?

Vomiting immediately after feeding Explanation: With pyloric stenosis the circular muscle pylorus is hypertrophied. This thickness causes gastric outlet obstruction. The condition is seen in younger infants starting at 3 to 6 weeks of age. The infant has projectile nonbilious vomiting. It occurs directly after eating and is not related to the feeding position. The infant is hungry shortly after eating. There is weight loss and/or dehydration. The treatment is a pyloromyotomy to reduce the increased size and increase the opening. Diarrhea is not associated with the disorder.

The nurse is caring for a newborn with a cleft palate. Which findings in the maternal medical record are considered to be contributing factors? Select all that apply.

maternal tobacco use anticonvulsant therapy used to manage a seizure disorder Explanation: Certain risk factors from the mother may have contributed to the infant being born with a cleft palate. These include maternal smoking, prenatal infection, advanced maternal age, and use of anticonvulsants or steroids.

The nurse is caring for a 2-year-old boy with an umbilical hernia and is teaching the mother about this condition. Which response from the mother indicates a need for further teaching?

"I can tape a quarter over the hernia to reduce it." Explanation: The use of home remedies to reduce an umbilical hernia should be discouraged because of the risk of bowel strangulation. The mother needs to be aware that strangulation can occur, but it is rare with an umbilical hernia. Pain, tenderness, or redness indicates an incarcerated hernia, which although rare with umbilical hernias, can occur. She needs to understand the signs of strangulation and understand that some children have self-esteem issues related to the large protrusion of the unrepaired umbilical hernia. Physical needs of the child have priority over any types of potential psychosocial issues. Self-esteem issues may arise due to a large protrusion of an unrepaired umbilical hernia.

A nurse caring for an infant born with a cleft palate notices that the parents rarely interact with their child. The nurse overhears the mother telling her spouse that she "feels like crying" every time she looks at their infant. What would be the best response from the nurse?

"I sense you could use more information on caring for a cleft palate. Would you be interested in meeting with other parents who have dealt with this?" Explanation: For many parents, having their infant born with a cleft lip or palate is overwhelming and to some even appalling. The nurse can support the parents by acknowledging their normal feelings of guilt, anger, and sadness. The nurse should support the family's adjustment to an infant's condition by demonstrating an accepting, caring attitude toward the child and family and providing the parents with opportunities and support for normal infant-parent interactions. Many parents need additional support outside the hospital or during surgical repairs. Parent-to-parent support groups are available and parents should be given information about to how to contact a local group. It may be difficult for a parent to bond with an infant who the parent feels is not perfect and those feeling cannot be easily dismissed. It does not matter if the defect is not life-threatening; it is still important to the parents and requires much skill to repair and heal. Stating this is being judgmental.

In caring for an infant diagnosed with pyloric stenosis the nurse would anticipate which intervention?

Prepare the infant for surgery. Explanation: In pyloric stenosis, the thickened muscle of the pylorus causes gastric outlet obstruction. The treatment is a surgical correction called a pyloromyotomy. The condition is not painful, so no analgesics would be needed until after surgical repair. The condition is not related to lactose in the diet, so changing to lactose-free formula would not correct the condition. A barium enema would be used to diagnose intussusception.

The nurse is preparing a client for surgery and the client asks, "What does it mean when they say they are going to reduce my abdominal hernia?" Which response by the nurse is most appropriate?

"This means the hernia contents will be manipulated back into your peritoneal cavity during surgery." Explanation: A hernia in the abdominal region is considered reducible when its contents are easily manipulated back through the inguinal ring into the peritoneal cavity. The nurse would reinforce this education, already provided by the primary health care provider when the surgery was explained, to the client. It is not necessary to cancel surgery when the nurse can provide education to the client. Reducing does not mean the intestines are twisted and edematous. Nor does it mean half of the contents will be removed.

The nurse is reinforcing dietary teaching with the caregiver of a child diagnosed with celiac syndrome. Which foods would be permitted in the diet of the child with celiac syndrome? Select all that apply.

Applesauce Bananas Skim milk Explanation: The child is usually started on a gluten-free, low-fat diet. Skim milk and bananas are usually well tolerated. Lean meats, puréed vegetables, and fruits are gradually added to the diet. Wheat, rye, and oats (unless specifically gluten free) are not included in the diet.

A parent brings a 2-year-old child to the health clinic with reports of diarrhea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. The father tells the nurse that he is a single parent and his child is enrolled in a local day care center. Based on this information, what gastrointestinal condition might the nurse suspect?

Gastroenteritis Explanation: Outbreaks of gastroenteritis routinely occur in day care centers, schools, institutions for the handicapped, and other places where overcrowding is prevalent and hygiene is inadequate. Typical signs and symptoms include diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain.

The nurse is collecting data on a 2-year-old child admitted with a diagnosis of gastroenteritis. When interviewing the caregivers, which question is most important for the nurse to ask?

Tell me about the types of stools your child has been having." Explanation: For the child with gastroenteritis, the interview with the family caregiver must include specific information about the history of bowel patterns and the onset of diarrheal stools, with details on the number and type of stools per day. Recent eating patterns, determining if the child is toilet trained, and how many times a day the child urinates are important questions, but the highest priority is gathering data regarding the stools and stool pattern.

A nurse taking a health history of a newborn notes that there is a maternal history of polyhydramnios. What GI condition might this history precipitate?

esophageal atresia (EA) Explanation: A maternal history of polyhydramnios is usually present in one-third of cases of EA and in some cases of tracheoesophageal fistula (TEF).

A nurse examining a neonate is unable to identify the fetal stomach. The nurse knows that this sign strongly indicates which condition?

esophageal atresia (EA) Explanation: Inability to identify the fetal stomach strongly suggests EA. The upper abdomen is typically distended in pyloric stenosis and duodenal atresia. Hernias typically present as a bulge in the groin area.

The nurse is caring for an infant recently diagnosed with oral candidiasis (thrush) who has been prescribed nystatin. Which statement by the infant's mother would suggest a need for further education?

"I will add the nystatin to her bottle four times per day." Explanation: Administer nystatin suspension four times per day following feeding, not mixed in the bottle, to allow the medication to remain in contact with the lesions. In the younger infant, apply nystatin to the lesions with a cotton-tipped applicator. Infants and young children often mouth their toys, so it is important to clean them appropriately. Explain to parents of infants with oral candidiasis (thrush) the importance of reporting diaper rash because fungal infections in the diaper area often occur concomitantly with thrush and also need to be treated.

The nurse is teaching an in-service program to a group of nurses on the topic of gastrointestinal disorders. The nurses in the group make the following statements. Which statement is most accurately related to the diagnosis of pyloric stenosis?

A thickened, elongated muscle causes an obstruction at the end of the stomach. Explanation: Pyloric stenosis is characterized by hypertrophy of the circular muscle fibers of the pylorus, with a severe narrowing of its lumen. The pylorus is thickened to as much as twice its size, is elongated, and has a consistency resembling cartilage. As a result of this obstruction at the distal end of the stomach, the stomach becomes dilated. Congenital aganglionic megacolon is characterized by persistent constipation resulting from partial or complete intestinal obstruction of mechanical origin. Colic consists of recurrent paroxysmal bouts of abdominal pain. Gastroesophageal reflux (GER) occurs when the sphincter in the lower portion of the esophagus is relaxed and allows gastric contents to be regurgitated back into the esophagus.

The nurse is caring for a child admitted with pyloric stenosis. Which clinical manifestation would likely have been noted in the child with this diagnosis?

Projectile vomiting Explanation: During the first weeks of life, the infant with pyloric stenosis often eats well and gains weight and then starts vomiting occasionally after meals. Within a few days the vomiting increases in frequency and force, becoming projectile. The child may have constipation, and peristaltic waves may be seen in the abdomen, but the child does not appear in severe pain. Urine output is decreased and urination is infrequent.

A mother is alarmed because her 6-week-old boy has begun vomiting almost immediately after every feeding. In the past week, the vomiting has grown more forceful, with the vomit projecting several feet from his mouth. He is always hungry again just after vomiting. At the physician's office, the nurse holds the child and offers him a bottle. While he drinks, the nurse notes an olive-size lump in his right abdomen. Which condition should the nurse suspect in this child?

Pyloric stenosis Explanation: With pyloric stenosis, at 4 to 6 weeks of age, infants typically begin to vomit almost immediately after each feeding. The vomiting grows increasingly forceful until it is projectile, possibly projecting as much as 3 to 4 feet. Infants are usually hungry immediately after vomiting because they are not nauseated. A definitive diagnosis can be made by watching the infant drink. If a pyloric stenosis is present, the sphincter feels round and firm, approximately the size of an olive in the right abdomen. Peptic ulcer disease in neonates usually presents with hematemesis (blood in vomitus) or melena (blood in the stool). Gastroesophageal reflux involves a small (1-2 tsp) volume and is not forceful. Appendicitis typically begins with anorexia for 12 to 24 hours; children do not eat and do not act like their usual selves. Nausea and vomiting may then occur, followed by diffuse abdominal pain.

Which assessment finding would suggest that a child's postoperative feeding schedule following pyloric stenosis surgery should be slowed?

Vomiting Explanation: Vomiting after a feeding suggests the pyloric valve is not yet able to accommodate feedings well, possibly from edema. Flatulence and semi-formed stools would be positive signs that motility is active and digestion is occurring. Falling asleep is a sign that the child is full and satisfied.