ch 50 biliary prepU

A nurse cares for an older adult client and teaches the client about age-related changes of the biliary tract. What statements will the nurse include when discussing age-related changes that occur in the pancreas of the older adult? Select all that apply.

"The pancreas develops fibrous material with age." "The pancreas develops fatty deposits with age." "The pancreas decreases secretion of enzymes with age." "The pancreas decreases bicarbonate secretion with age."

A client with calculi in the gallbladder is said to have

Cholelithiasis Calculi, or gallstones, usually form in the gallbladder from the solid constituents of bile; they vary greatly in size, shape, and composition. Cholecystitis is acute inflammation of the gallbladder. Choledocholithiasis is a gallstone in the common bile duct. Choledochotomy is an incision into the common bile duct.

Which enzyme aids in the digestion of fats?

Lipase Lipase is a pancreatic enzyme that aids in the digestion of fats. Amylase aids in the digestion of carbohydrates. Secretin is responsible for stimulating secretion of pancreatic juice. Trypsin aids in the digestion of protein.

A client comes to the ED with severe abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting. The physician plans to rule out acute pancreatitis. The nurse would expect the diagnosis to be confirmed by an elevated result on which laboratory test?

Serum amylase Serum amylase and lipase concentrations are used to make the diagnosis of acute pancreatitis. Serum amylase and lipase concentrations are elevated within 24 hours of the onset of symptoms. Serum amylase usually returns to normal within 48 to 72 hours, but the serum lipase concentration may remain elevated for a longer period, often days longer than amylase. Urinary amylase concentrations also become elevated and remain elevated longer than serum amylase concentrations.

A client with carcinoma of the head of the pancreas is scheduled for surgery. Which of the following should a nurse administer to the client before surgery?

Vitamin K Clients with carcinoma of the head of the pancreas typically require vitamin K before surgery to correct a prothrombin deficiency.

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

Which is a clinical manifestation of cholelithiasis?

Clay-colored stools The client with gallstones has clay-colored stools and excruciating upper right quadrant pain that radiates to the back or right shoulder. The excretion of bile pigments by the kidneys makes urine very dark. The feces, no longer colored with bile pigments, are grayish (like putty) or clay colored. The client develops a fever and may have a palpable abdominal mass.

A client who has been having recurrent attacks of severe abdominal pain over the past few months informs the physician about a 25-pound weight loss in the past year. The nurse attributes which factor as the most likely cause of this weight loss?

Skipping meals out of fear of painful attacks

A patient is diagnosed with mild acute pancreatitis. What does the nurse understand is characteristic of this disorder?

Edema and inflammation

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 physician has written the following orders for a new client admitted with pancreatitis: bed rest, nothing by mouth (NPO), and administration of total parenteral nutrition (TPN) . Which does the nurse attribute as the reason for NPO status?

To avoid inflammation of the pancreas

A client with chronic pancreatitis is treated for uncontrolled pain. Which complication does the nurse recognize is most common in the client with chronic pancreatitis?

Weight loss

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

The nurse cares for a client with gallstones that need to be removed but is not a surgical candidate or endoscopic candidate. What procedure does the nurse recognize as being a possible treatment option for the client?

ESWL Extracorporeal shock wave therapy, (ESWL) also known as lithotripsy, uses shock waves to break up gallstones for their removal and does not involve surgery or endoscopy.

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. The cholecystogram is a diagnostic imaging test used to visualize the gallbladder and bile duct. The celiac axis arteriography visualizes the liver and pancreas. Ultrasonography shows the sizes of the abdominal organs and detects any masses. The endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) visualizes the biliary structures and pancreas via endoscopy.

A patient with acute pancreatitis puts the call bell on to tell the nurse about an increase in pain. The nurse observes the patient guarding; the abdomen is boardlike and no bowel sounds are detected. What is the major concern for this patient?

The patient has developed peritonitis. Abdominal guarding is present. A rigid or boardlike abdomen may develop and is generally an ominous sign, usually indicating peritonitis

A nurse is providing dietary instructions to a client with a history of pancreatitis. Which instruction is correct?

"Maintain a high-carbohydrate, low-fat diet." A client with a history of pancreatitis should avoid foods and beverages that stimulate the pancreas, such as fatty foods, caffeine, and gas-forming foods; should avoid eating large meals; and should eat plenty of carbohydrates, which are easily metabolized. Therefore, the only correct instruction is to maintain a high-carbohydrate, low-fat diet. An increased sodium or fluid intake isn't necessary because chronic pancreatitis isn't associated with hyponatremia or fluid loss.

The nurse is planning care for a client following an incisional cholecystectomy for cholelithiasis. Which intervention is the highest nursing priority for this client?

Assisting the client to turn, cough, and deep breathe every 2 hours Assessment should focus on the client's respiratory status. If a traditional surgical approach is planned, the high abdominal incision required during surgery may interfere with full respiratory excursion.

When the nurse is caring for a patient with acute pancreatitis, what intervention can be provided in order to prevent atelectasis and prevent pooling of respiratory secretions?

Frequent changes of positions

When caring for a client with acute pancreatitis, the nurse should use which comfort measure?

Positioning the client on the side with the knees flexed The nurse should place the client with acute pancreatitis in a side-lying position with knees flexed; this position promotes comfort by decreasing pressure on the abdominal muscles.

A client diagnosed with acute pancreatitis is being transferred to another facility. The nurse caring for the client completes the transfer summary, which includes information about the client's drinking history and other assessment findings. Which assessment findings confirm his diagnosis?

Recent weight loss and temperature elevation Assessment findings associated with pancreatitis include recent weight loss and temperature elevation. Inflammation of the pancreas causes a response that elevates temperature and leads to abdominal pain that typically occurs with eating. Nausea and vomiting may occur as a result of pancreatic tissue damage that's caused by the activation of pancreatic enzymes. The client may experience weight loss because of the lost desire to eat. Blood in stools and recent hypertension aren't associated with pancreatitis; fatty diarrhea and hypotension are usually present. Presence of easy bruising and bradycardia aren't found with pancreatitis; the client typically experiences tachycardia, not bradycardia. Adventitious breath sounds and hypertension aren't associated with pancreatitis.

A client being treated for pancreatitis faces the risk of atelectasis. Which of the following interventions would be important to implement to minimize this risk?

Reposition the client every 2 hours. Repositioning the client every 2 hours minimizes the risk of atelectasis in a client who is being treated for pancreatitis. The client should be instructed to cough every 2 hours to reduce atelectasis.

A client with cholelithiasis has a gallstone lodged in the common bile duct. When assessing this client, the nurse expects to note:

yellow sclerae. Yellow sclerae are an early sign of jaundice, which occurs when the common bile duct is obstructed.

Which condition is the major cause of morbidity and mortality in clients with acute pancreatitis?

Pancreatic necrosis

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

30 mg/dL Hyperinsulinism is caused by overproduction of insulin by the pancreatic islets. Occasionally, tumors of nonpancreatic origin produce an insulinlike material that can cause severe hypoglycemia and may be responsible for seizures coinciding with blood glucose levels that are too low to sustain normal brain function (i.e., lower than 30 mg/dL

Pharmacologic therapy frequently is used to dissolve small gallstones. It takes about how many months of medication with UDCA or CDCA for stones to dissolve?

6 to 12 Ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA [URSO, Actigall]) and chenodeoxycholic acid (chenodiol or CDCA [Chenix]) have been used to dissolve small, radiolucent gallstones composed primarily of cholesterol. Six to 12 months of therapy are required in many clients to dissolve stones, and monitoring of the client for recurrence of symptoms or occurrence of side effects (eg, GI symptoms, pruritus, headache) is required during this time.

A nurse discusses risk factors of cholelithiasis with a client. Which risk factors will the nurse include in the teaching? Select all that apply.

Changes in weight Cystic fibrosis Diabetes Obesity All of these conditions impact fat metabolism, increasing the risk of developing cholesterol gallstones.

A 70-year-old client is admitted with acute pancreatitis. The nurse understands that the mortality rate associated with acute pancreatitis increases with advanced age and attributes this to which gerontologic consideration associated with the pancreas?

Decreases in the physiologic function of major organs

A nurse is preparing a client for surgery. During preoperative teaching, the client asks where is bile stored. The nurse knows that bile is stored in the:

Gallbladder

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

Upon receiving the dinner tray for a client admitted with acute gallbladder inflammation, the nurse will question which of the following foods on the tray?

Hot roast beef sandwich with gravy The diet immediately after an episode of acute cholecystitis is initially limited to low-fat liquids. The client should avoid fried foods such as fried chicken, because fatty foods may bring on an episode of cholecystitis.

Which of the following conditions is most likely to involve a nursing diagnosis of fluid volume deficit?

Pancreatitis Hypotension is typical and reflects hypovolemia and shock caused by the loss of large amounts of protein-rich fluid into the tissues and peritoneal cavity.

A patient is diagnosed with gallstones in the bile ducts. What laboratory results should the nurse review?

Serum bilirubin level greater than 1.0 mg/dL If the flow of bile is impeded (e.g., by gallstones in the bile ducts), bilirubin does not enter the intestine. As a result, blood levels of bilirubin increase.

The nurse is caring for a patient with acute pancreatitis. The patient has an order for an anticholinergic medication. The nurse explains that the patient will be receiving that medication for what reason?

To reduce gastric and pancreatic secretions

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

cannot tolerate a high glucose concentration.