Chapter 47: PREPU

Which of the following is a term used to describe intestinal rumbling?

Borborygmus

The nurse is irrigating a colostomy when the patient says, "You will have to stop, I am cramping so badly." What is the priority action by the nurse?

Clamp the tubing and give the patient a rest period.

Crohn's disease is a condition of malabsorption caused by which pathophysiological process?

Inflammation of all layers of intestinal mucosa

The nurse is caring for a client with intussusception of the bowel. What does the nurse understand occurs with this disorder?

One part of the intestine telescopes into another portion of the intestine.

The nurse is monitoring a client's postoperative course after an appendectomy. The nurse's assessment reveals that the client has vomited, has abdominal tenderness and rigidity, and has tachycardia. The nurse reports to the physician that the client has signs/symptoms of which complication?

Peritonitis

The nurse is conducting a gastrointestinal assessment. When the client reports the presence of mucus and pus in the stool, the nurse assesses for additional signs/symptoms of which disease/condition?

Ulcerative colitis

A client reports severe pain and bleeding while having a bowel movement. Upon inspection, the health care provider notes a linear tear in the anal canal tissue. The client is diagnosed with a:

fissure

Which client requires immediate nursing intervention? The client who:

presents with a rigid, board-like abdomen.

A client informs the nurse that he has been having abdominal pain that is relieved when having a bowel movement. The client states that the physician told him he has irritable bowel syndrome. What does the nurse recognize as characteristic of this disorder?

Chronic constipation with sporadic bouts of diarrhea

Which of the following would a nurse expect to assess in a client with peritonitis?

Board-like abdomen

A patient visited a nurse practitioner because he had diarrhea for 2 weeks. He described his stool as large and greasy. The nurse knows that this description is consistent with a diagnosis of:

Intestinal malabsorption.

A resident at a long-term care facility lost the ability to swallow following a stroke 4 years ago. The client receives nutrition via a PEG tube, has adapted well to the tube feedings, and remains physically and socially active. Occasionally, the client develops constipation that requires administration of a laxative to restore regular bowel function. What is the most likely cause of this client's constipation?

lack of free water intake

The nurse is comparing Crohn's disease (regional enteritis) with ulcerative colitis. Which of the following describes Crohn's disease?

Its course is prolonged and variable

Which is a true statement regarding regional enteritis (Crohn's disease)?

The clusters of ulcers take on a cobblestone appearance.

A patient is admitted to the hospital after not having had a bowel movement in several days. The nurse observes the patient is having small liquid stools, a grossly distended abdomen, and abdominal cramping. What complication can this patient develop related to this problem?

Bowel perforation

An elderly client diagnosed with diarrhea is taking digoxin. Which electrolyte imbalance should the nurse be alert to?

Hypokalemia

A client tells the nurse, "I am not having normal bowel movements." When differentiating between what are normal and abnormal bowel habits, what indicators are the most important?

The consistency of stool and comfort when passing stool

The nurse is assessing a client for constipation. Which review should the nurse conduct first to identify the cause of constipation?

Usual pattern of elimination