Chapter 44: Digestive and Gastrointestinal Treatment Modalities Required Competency

A nurse is caring for a client receiving parenteral nutrition at home. The client was discharged from the acute care facility 4 days ago. What would the nurse include in the client's plan of care? Select all that apply.

Daily weights Intake and output monitoring Calorie counts for oral nutrients

A nurse is assessing a client receiving tube feedings and suspects dumping syndrome. What would lead the nurse to suspect this? Select all that apply.

Diarrhea Tachycardia Diaphoresis

A nurse is caring for a patient with a Salem sump gastric tube attached to low intermittent suction for decompression. The patient asks, "What's this blue part of the tube for?" Which response by the nurse would be most appropriate?

"It is a vent that prevents backflow of the secretions."

A nurse is inserting a nasogastric tube in an alert client. During the procedure, the client begins to cough constantly and has difficulty breathing. The nurse suspects the nasogastric tube is

Inserted into the lungs

The nurse is managing a gastric (Salem) sump tube for a patient who has an intestinal obstruction and will be going to surgery. What interventions should the nurse perform to make sure the tube is functioning properly?

Keep the vent lumen above the patient's waist to prevent gastric content reflux.

When assisting with the plan of care for a client receiving tube feedings, which of the following would the nurse include to reduce the client's risk for aspiration?

Keeping the client in a semi-Fowler's position at all times.

The health care provider orders the insertion of a single lumen nasogastric tube. When gathering the equipment for the insertion, what will the nurse select?

Levin tube

The primary source of microorganisms for catheter-related infections are the skin and the

catheter hub

Semi-Fowler position is maintained for at least which timeframe following completion of an intermittent tube feeding?

1 hour

The client has the intake and output shown in the accompanying chart for an 8-hour shift. What is the positive fluid balance?

260

A patient is receiving a continuous tube feeding. The nurse notes that the feeding tube was last irrigated at 2 p.m. The nurse would plan to irrigate the tube again at which time?

6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

The nurse is caring for a patient who has dumping syndrome from high-carbohydrate foods being administered over a period of fewer than 20 minutes. What is a nursing measure to prevent or minimize the dumping syndrome?

Administer the feeding with the patient in semi-Fowler's position to decrease the effect of gravity on transit time.

A nonresponsive client has a nasogastric tube to low intermittent suction due to gastrointestinal bleeding. It is most important for the nurse to

Auscultate lung sounds every 4 hours.

A patient is receiving nasogastric tube feedings. The intake and output record for the past 24 hours reveals an intake of 3100 mL and an output of 2400 mL. The nurse identifies which nursing diagnosis as most likely?

Excess fluid volume

Gastrostomy feedings are preferred to nasogastric feedings in the comatose patient, because the:

Gastroesophageal sphincter is intact, lessening the possibility of regurgitation and aspiration.

A patient is receiving parenteral nutrition. The current solution is nearing completion, and a new solution is to be hung, but it has not arrived from the pharmacy. Which action by the nurse would be most appropriate?

Hang a solution of dextrose 10% and water until the new solution is available.

The nurse is caring for a client who has a gastrostomy tube feeding. Upon initiating care, the nurse aspirates the gastrotomy tube for gastric residual volume (GRV) and obtains 200 mL of gastric contents. What is the priority action by the nurse?

Place the client in a semi-Fowler's position with the head of the bed at 45 degrees.

A patient is receiving continuous tube feedings. The nurse would maintain the patient in which position at all times?

Semi-Fowler's with the head of the bed elevated 30 to 45 degrees

The primary source of microorganisms for catheter-related infections are the skin and which of the following?

catheter hub

A nurse providing care to a patient who is receiving nasogastric tube feedings finds that the tube is clogged. Which of the following is no longer considered appropriate to use to unclog the tube?

cranberry juice

The nurse cares for a client who receives parenteral nutrition (PN). The nurse notes on the care plan that the catheter will need to be removed 6 weeks after insertion and that the client's venous access device is a

nontunneled central catheter.

A client who can't tolerate oral feedings begins receiving intermittent enteral feedings. When monitoring for evidence of intolerance to these feedings, what must the nurse remain alert for?

diaphoresis, vomiting, and diarrhea.

The nurse is caring for a comatose patient and administering gastrostomy feedings. What does the nurse understand is the reason that gastrostomy feedings are preferred to nasogastric (NG) feedings in the comatose patient?

Gastroesophageal sphincter is intact, lessening the possibility of regurgitation.

As part of the process of checking the placement of a nasogastric tube, the nurse checks the pH of the aspirate. Which pH finding would indicate to the nurse that the tube is in the stomach?

4

The nurse cares for a client who receives continuous enteral tube feedings and who is at low risk for aspiration. The nurse assesses the gastric residual volume to be 350 mL. The nurse determines which action is correct?

Monitoring the feeding closely.

A client is receiving parenteral nutrition (PN) through a peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) and will be discharged home with PN. The home health nurse evaluates the home setting and would make a recommendation when noticing which circumstance?

No land line; cell phone available and taken by family member during working hours

Rebound hypoglycemia is a complication of parenteral nutrition caused by

feedings stopped too abruptly.

The nurse cares for a client who receives continuous parenteral nutrition (PN) through a Hickman catheter and notices that the client's solution has run out. No PN solution is currently available from the pharmacy. What should the nurse do?

hang 10% dextrose and water