Medical-Surgical: Gastrointestinal

A nurse is preparing a community education program about hepatitis B. Which of the following statements should the nurse include in the teaching?

"A hepatitis B immunization is given to infants and children." Hepatitis B immune globulin is given as part of the standard childhood immunizations. It can be administered as early as birth, especially in infants born to hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) negative mothers. These infants should receive the second dose between 1 and 4 months of age.

A nurse is teaching a client who has Barrett's esophagus and is scheduled to undergo an esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD). Which of the following statements should the nurse include in the teaching?

"This procedure can determine how well the lower part of your esophagus works." An EGD is useful in determining the function of the esophageal lining and the extent of inflammation, potential scarring, and strictures.

A nurses completing a history and physical assessment for a client who has chronic pancreatitis. Which of the following findings should the nurse identify as a likely cause of the client's condition?

Alcohol use Alcohol consumption is one of the major causes of chronic pancreatitis in the U.S. Long-term alcohol use disorder produces hypersecretion of protein in pancreatic secretions. The result is protein plugs and calculi within the pancreatic ducts. Alcohol also has a direct toxic effect on the cells of the pancreas. Damage to these cells is more likely to occur and to be more severe in clients whose diets are poor in protein content and either very high or very low in fat.

A nurse is caring for a client who has acute pancreatitis. Which of the following serum laboratory values should the nurse anticipate returning to the expected reference range within 72 hr after treatment begins?

Amylase Pancreatitis is the most common diagnosis for marked elevations in serum amylase. Serum amylase begins to increase about 3 to 6 hr following the onset of acute pancreatitis. The amylase level peaks in 20 to 30 hr and returns to the expected reference range within 2 to 3 days.

A nurse is assessing a client who is in the early stages of hepatitis A. Which of the following manifestations should the nurse expect?

Anorexia Anorexia is an early manifestation of hepatitis A and is often severe. It is thought to result from the release of a toxin by the damaged liver or by the failure of the damaged liver cells to detoxify an abnormal product.

A nurse is assessing a client who is experiencing perforation of a peptic ulcer. Which of the following manifestations should the nurse expect?

Boardlike abdomen The nurse should expect the client who is experiencing perforation of a peptic ulcer to exhibit manifestations of a boardlike abdomen and severe pain in the abdomen or back that radiates to the right shoulder. Vomiting of blood and shock can occur if the perforation causes hemorrhaging.

A community health nurse is planning an educational program about hepatitis A. When preparing the materials, the nurse should identify that which of the following groups is most at risk for developing hepatitis A?

Children The nurse should apply the safety and risk reduction priority-setting framework. This framework assigns priority to the factor or situation posing the greatest safety risk to the client. When there are several risks to client safety, the one posing the greatest threat is the highest priority. The nurse should use Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, the ABC priority-setting framework, or nursing knowledge to identify which risk poses the greatest threat to the client. The hepatitis A virus can be contracted from the feces, bile, and blood of infected clients. The usual mode of transmission is the fecal-oral route. Children and young adults are the two groups most often affected by the hepatitis A virus. Typically, a child or young adult acquires the infection at school, through poor hygiene, hand-to-mouth contact, or another form of close contact.

A nurse is caring for a client who is 2 days postoperative following a gastric bypass. The nurse notes that bowel sounds are present. Which of the following foods should the nurse provide at the initial feeding?

Clear liquids Clear liquids, such as water or broth, can be given for the first oral feedings, but should be limited to only 30 mL (1 oz) per feeding. Water does not contain sugar, which could cause diarrhea due to hyperosmolarity.

A nurse is caring for a client who is receiving total parenteral nutrition (TPN) therapy and has just returned to the room following physical therapy. The nurse notes that the infusion pump for the client's TPN is turned off. After restarting the infusion pump, the nurse should monitor the client for which of the following findings?

Diaphoresis The nurse should recognize that the client has the potential for the development of hypoglycemia due to the sudden withdrawal of the TPN solution. In addition to diaphoresis, other potential manifestations of hypoglycemia can include weakness, anxiety, confusion, and hunger.

A nurse is providing dietary teaching to a client who has diverticulitis about preventing acute attacks. Which of the following foods should the nurse recommend?

Foods high in fiber The result of long-term, low-fiber eating habits along with increased intracolonic pressure lead to straining during bowel movements, causing the development of diverticula. High-fiber foods help strengthen and maintain active motility of the gastrointestinal tract.

A nurse is caring for a client who has a history of cirrhosis and is admitted with manifestations of hepatic encephalopathy. The nurse should anticipate a prescription for which of the following laboratory tests to determine the possibility of recent excessive alcohol use?

Gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) the GGT laboratory test is specific to the hepatobiliary system in which levels can be raised by alcohol and hepatotoxic drugs. Therefore, it is useful for monitoring drug toxicity and excessive alcohol use.

A nurse is caring for a client who has fulminant hepatic failure. Which of the following procedures should the nurse anticipate for this client?

Liver transplant Fulminant hepatic failure, most often caused by viral hepatitis, is characterized by the development of hepatic encephalopathy within weeks of the onset of disease in a client without prior evidence of hepatic dysfunction. Mortality remains high, even with treatment modalities such as blood or plasma exchanges, charcoal hemoperfusion, and corticosteroids. Consequently, liver transplantation has become the treatment of choice for these clients.

A nurse is caring for a client who has a percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) tube and is receiving intermittent feedings. Prior to initiating the feeding, which of the following actions should the nurse take first?

Place the client in semi-Fowler's position The nurse should apply the ABC priority-setting framework. This framework emphasizes the basic core of human functioning: having an open airway, being able to breathe in adequate amounts of oxygen, and circulating oxygen to the body's organs via the blood. An alteration in any of these can indicate a threat to life and is therefore the nurse's priority concern. When applying the ABC priority-setting framework, airway is always the highest priority because the airway must be clear and open for oxygen exchange to occur. Breathing is the second priority in the ABC priority-setting framework because adequate ventilatory effort is essential for oxygen exchange to occur. Circulation is the third priority in the ABC priority-setting framework because delivery of oxygen to critical organs only occurs if the heart and blood vessels are capable of efficiently carrying oxygen to them. A client who is receiving PEG tube feedings should be positioned with the head of the bed elevated at least 30° during and after feedings to decrease the risk of aspiration. Therefore, this is the priority action by the nurse.

A nurse is caring for a client who is scheduled to undergo a liver biopsy for a suspected malignancy. Which of the following laboratory findings should the nurse monitor prior to the procedure?

Prothrombin time A major complication following a liver biopsy is hemorrhage. Many clients who have liver disease have clotting defects and are at risk for bleeding. Along with the prothrombin time (PT), the activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) and the platelet count should be monitored. Liver dysfunction causes the production of blood clotting factors to be reduced, which leads to an increased incidence of bruising, nosebleeds, bleeding from wounds, and gastrointestinal bleeding. This is due to a deficient absorption of vitamin K from the gastrointestinal tract caused by the inability of liver cells to use vitamin K to make prothrombin.

A nurse is caring for a client who is 4 hr postoperative following a laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Which of the following findings should the nurse expect?

Right shoulder pain The client can experience pain in the right upper shoulder due to gas (carbon dioxide) injected into the abdominal cavity during the laparoscopic procedure, which can irritate the diaphragm and cause referred pain in the shoulder area. The pain disappears in 1 to 2 days. Mild analgesics and a recumbent position can help with client comfort.

A nurse is assessing a client who was admitted with a bowel obstruction. The client reports severe abdominal pain. Which of the following findings should indicate to the nurse that a possible bowel perforation has occurred?

Rigid abdomen Abdominal tenderness and rigidity occur with a bowel perforation. As fluid escapes into the peritoneal cavity, there is a reduction in circulating blood volume and a lowered blood pressure, or hypotension, results.

A nurse is caring for a client who is dehydrated and is receiving continuous tube feeding through a pump at 75 mL/hr. When the nurse assesses the client at 0800, which of the following findings requires intervention by the nurse?

The head of the bed is elevated 20 degrees The head of the bed should be elevated at least 30° (semi-Fowler's position) while the tube feeding is administered. This position uses gravity to help the feeding move down through the digestive system and lessens the possibility of regurgitation.

A nurse is caring for a client who is scheduled to undergo an esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD). The nurse should identify that this procedure is used to do which of the following?

To detect an ulceration in the stomach An EGD is used to visualize the esophagus, stomach, and duodenum with a lighted tube to detect a tumor, ulceration, or obstruction.

A nurse in the emergency department is caring for a client who has bleeding esophageal varies. The nurse should anticipate a prescription for which of the following medications?

Vasopressin Vasopressin constricts the splanchnic bed and decreases portal pressure. Vasopressin also constricts the distal esophageal and proximal gastric veins, which reduces inflow into the portal system and is used to treat bleeding varices.

A nurse is caring for a client who has celiac disease. Which of the following foods should the nurse remove from the client's meal tray?

Wheat toast Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder characterized by a permanent intolerance to wheat, barley, and rye. Wheat toast contains gluten and should be removed from the client's tray.