GERD & Hiatal Hernia NCLEX

The client attends two sessions with the dietitian to learn about diet modifications to minimize gastroesophageal reflux. The teaching would be considered successful if the client says that she will decrease her intake of which of the following foods? 1. Fats. 2. High-sodium foods. 3. Carbohydrates. 4. High-calcium foods.

1. Fats are associated with decreased esophageal sphincter tone, which increases reflux. Obesity contributes to the development of hiatal hernia, and a low-fat diet might also aid in weight loss. Carbohydrates and foods high in sodium or calcium do not affect gastroesophageal reflux.

The nurse instructs the client on health maintenance activities to help control symptoms from her hiatal hernia. Which of the following statements would indicate that the client has understood the instructions? 1. "I'll avoid lying down after a meal." 2. "I can still enjoy my potato chips and cola at bedtime." 3. "I wish I didn't have to give up swimming." 4. "If I wear a girdle, I'll have more support for my stomach."

1. A client with a hiatal hernia should avoid the recumbent position immediately after meals to minimize gastric reflux. Bedtime snacks, as well as high-fat foods and carbonated beverages, should be avoided. Excessive vigorous exercise also should be avoided, especially after meals, but there is no reason why the client must give up swimming. Wearing tight, constrictive clothing such as a girdle can increase intra-abdominal pressure and thus lead to reflux of gastric juices.

Which of the following dietary measures would be useful in preventing esophageal reflux? 1. Eating small, frequent meals. 2. Increasing fluid intake. 3. Avoiding air swallowing with meals. 4. Adding a bedtime snack to the dietary plan.

1. Esophageal reflux worsens when the stomach is overdistended with food. Therefore, an important measure is to eat small, frequent meals. Fluid intake should be decreased during meals to reduce abdominal distention. Avoiding air swallowing does not prevent esophageal reflux. Food intake in the evening should be strictly limited to reduce the incidence of nighttime reflux, so bedtime snacks are not recommended.

The nurse is obtaining a health history from a client who has a sliding hiatal hernia associated with reflux. The nurse should ask the client about the presence of which of the following symptoms? 1. Heartburn. 2. Jaundice. 3. Anorexia. 4. Stomatitis.

1. Heartburn, the most common symptom of a sliding hiatal hernia, results from reflux of gastric secretions into the esophagus. Regurgitation of gastric contents and dysphagia are other common symptoms. Jaundice, which results from a high concentration of bilirubin in the blood, is not associated with hiatal hernia. Anorexia is not a typical symptom of hiatal hernia. Stomatitis is inflammation of the mouth.

The physician prescribes metoclopramide hydrochloride (Reglan) for the client with hiatal hernia. The nurse plans to instruct the client that this drug is used in hiatal hernia therapy to accomplish which of the following objectives? 1. Increase tone of the esophageal sphincter. 2. Neutralize gastric secretions. 3. Delay gastric emptying. 4. Reduce secretion of digestive juices.

1. Metoclopramide hydrochloride (Reglan) increases esophageal sphincter tone and facilitates gastric emptying; both actions reduce the incidence of reflux. Other drugs, such as antacids or histamine receptor antagonists, may also be prescribed to help control reflux and esophagitis and to decrease or neutralize gastric secretions. Reglan is not effective in decreasing or neutralizing gastric secretions.

The nurse is developing standards of care for a client with gastroesophageal reflux disease and wants to review current evidence for practice. Which one of the following resources will provide the most helpful information? 1. A review in the Cochrane Library. 2. A literature search in a database, such as the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINHAL). 3. An online nursing textbook. 4. The online policy and procedure manual at the health care agency.

1. The Cochrane Library provides systematic reviews of health care interventions and will provide the best resource for evidence for nursing care. CINHAL offers key word searches to published articles in nursing and allied health literature, but not reviews. A nursing textbook has information about nursing care which may include evidence-based practices, but textbooks may not have the most up-to-date information. While the policy and procedure manual may be based on evidence-based practices, the most current practices will be found in evidence-based reviews of literature.

The client is scheduled to have an upper gastrointestinal tract series of x-rays. Following the x-rays, the nurse should instruct the client to: 1. Take a laxative. 2. Follow a clear liquid diet. 3. Administer an enema. 4. Take an antiemetic.

1. The client should take a laxative after an upper gastrointestinal series to stimulate a bowel movement. This examination involves the administration of barium, which must be promptly eliminated from the body because it may harden and cause an obstruction. A clear liquid diet would have no effect on stimulating removal of the barium. The client should not have nausea and an antiemetic would not be necessary; additionally, the antiemetic will decrease peristalsis and increase the likelihood of eliminating the barium. An enema would be ineffective because the barium is too high in the gastrointestinal tract.

Which of the following factors would most likely contribute to the development of a client's hiatal hernia? 1. Having a sedentary desk job. 2. Being 5 feet, 3 inches tall and weighing 190 lb. 3. Using laxatives frequently. 4. Being 40 years old.

2. Any factor that increases intra-abdominal pressure, such as obesity, can contribute to the development of hiatal hernia. Other factors include abdominal straining, frequent heavy lifting, and pregnancy. Hiatal hernia is also associated with older age and occurs in women more frequently than in men. Having a sedentary desk job, using laxatives frequently, or being 40 years old is not likely to be a contributing factor in development of a hiatal hernia.

In developing a teaching plan for the client with a hiatal hernia, the nurse's assessment of which work-related factors would be most useful? 1. Number and length of breaks. 2. Body mechanics used in lifting. 3. Temperature in the work area. 4. Cleaning solvents used.

2. Bending, especially after eating, can cause gastroesophageal reflux. Lifting heavy objects increases intra-abdominal pressure. Assessing the client's lifting techniques enables the nurse to evaluate the client's knowledge of factors contributing to hiatal hernia and how to prevent complications. Number and length of breaks, temperature in the work area, and cleaning solvents used are not directly related to treatment of hiatal hernia.

Bethanechol (Urecholine) has been ordered for a client with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). The nurse should assess the client for which of the following adverse effects? 1. Constipation. 2. Urinary urgency. 3. Hypertension. 4. Dry oral mucosa.

2. Bethanechol (Urecholine), a cholinergic drug, may be used in GERD to increase lower esophageal sphincter pressure and facilitate gastric emptying. Cholinergic adverse effects may include urinary urgency, diarrhea, abdominal cramping, hypotension, and increased salivation. To avoid these adverse effects, the client should be closely monitored to establish the minimum effective dose.

The client asks the nurse whether he will need surgery to correct his hiatal hernia. Which reply by the nurse would be most accurate? 1. "Surgery is usually required, although medical treatment is attempted first." 2. "Hiatal hernia symptoms can usually be successfully managed with diet modifications, medications, and lifestyle changes." 3. "Surgery is not performed for this type of hernia." 4. "A minor surgical procedure to reduce the size of the diaphragmatic opening will probably be planned."

2. Most clients can be treated successfully with a combination of diet restrictions, medications, weight control, and lifestyle modifications. Surgery to correct a hiatal hernia, which commonly produces complications, is performed only when medical therapy fails to control the symptoms.

Which of the following lifestyle modifications should the nurse encourage the client with a hiatal hernia to include in activities of daily living? 1. Daily aerobic exercise. 2. Eliminating smoking and alcohol use. 3. Balancing activity and rest. 4. Avoiding high-stress situations.

2. Smoking and alcohol use both reduce esophageal sphincter tone and can result in reflux. They therefore should be avoided by clients with hiatal hernia. Daily aerobic exercise, balancing activity and rest, and avoiding high-stress situations may increase the client's general health and well-being, but they are not directly associated with hiatal hernia.

Which of the following instructions should the nurse include in the teaching plan for a client who is experiencing gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)? 1. Limit caffeine intake to two cups of coffee per day. 2. Do not lie down for 2 hours after eating. 3. Follow a low-protein diet. 4. Take medications with milk to decrease irritation.

2. The nurse should instruct the client to not lie down for about 2 hours after eating to prevent reflux. Caffeinated beverages decrease pressure in the lower esophageal sphincter and milk increases gastric acid secretion, so these beverages should be avoided. The client is encouraged to follow a high-protein, low-fat diet, and avoid foods that are irritating.

Cimetidine (Tagamet) may also be used to treat hiatal hernia. The nurse should understand that this drug is used to prevent which of the following? 1. Esophageal reflux. 2. Dysphagia. 3. Esophagitis. 4. Ulcer formation.

3. Cimetidine (Tagamet) is a histamine receptor antagonist that decreases the quantity of gastric secretions. It may be used in hiatal hernia therapy to prevent or treat the esophagitis and heartburn associated with reflux. Cimetidine is not used to prevent reflux, dysphagia, or ulcer development.

Which of the following nursing interventions would most likely promote self-care behaviors in the client with a hiatal hernia? 1. Introduce the client to other people who are successfully managing their care. 2. Include the client's daughter in the teaching so that she can help implement the plan. 3. Ask the client to identify other situations in which he demonstrated responsibility for himself. 4. Reassure the client that he will be able to implement all aspects of the plan successfully.

3. Self-responsibility is the key to individual health maintenance. Using examples of situations in which the client has demonstrated self-responsibility can be reinforcing and supporting. The client has ultimate responsibility for his personal health habits. Meeting other people who are managing their care and involving family members can be helpful, but individual motivation is more important. Reassurance can be helpful but is less important than individualization of care.

The client has been taking magnesium hydroxide (milk of magnesia) at home in an attempt to control hiatal hernia symptoms. The nurse should assess the client for which of the following conditions most commonly associated with the ongoing use of magnesium-based antacids? 1. Anorexia. 2. Weight gain. 3. Diarrhea. 4. Constipation.

3. The magnesium salts in magnesium hydroxide are related to those found in laxatives and may cause diarrhea. Aluminum salt products can cause constipation. Many clients find that a combination product is required to maintain normal bowel elimination. The use of magnesium hydroxide does not cause anorexia or weight gain.

A client who has been diagnosed with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) complains of heartburn. To decrease the heartburn, the nurse should instruct the client to eliminate which of the following items from the diet? 1. Lean beef. 2. Air-popped popcorn. 3. Hot chocolate. 4. Raw vegetables.

3. With GERD, eating substances that decrease lower esophageal sphincter pressure causes heartburn. A decrease in the lower esophageal sphincter pressure allows gastric contents to reflux into the lower end of the esophagus. Foods that can cause a decrease in esophageal sphincter pressure include fatty foods, chocolate, caffeinated beverages, peppermint, and alcohol. A diet high in protein and low in fat is recommended for clients with GERD. Lean beef, popcorn, and raw vegetables would be acceptable.

The client with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) complains of a chronic cough. The nurse understands that in a client with GERD this symptom may be indicative of which of the following conditions? 1. Development of laryngeal cancer. 2. Irritation of the esophagus. 3. Esophageal scar tissue formation. 4. Aspiration of gastric contents.

4. Clients with GERD can develop pulmonary symptoms, such as coughing, wheezing, and dyspnea, that are caused by the aspiration of gastric contents. GERD does not predispose the client to the development of laryngeal cancer. Irritation of the esophagus and esophageal scar tissue formation can develop as a result of GERD. However, GERD is more likely to cause painful and difficult swallowing.

The nurse should instruct the client to avoid which of the following drugs while taking metoclopramide hydrochloride (Reglan)? 1. Antacids. 2. Antihypertensives. 3. Anticoagulants. 4. Alcohol.

4. Metoclopramide hydrochloride (Reglan) can cause sedation. Alcohol and other central nervous system depressants add to this sedation. A client who is taking this drug should be cautioned to avoid driving or performing other hazardous activities for a few hours after taking the drug. Clients may take antacids, antihypertensives, and anticoagulants while on metoclopramide.