Ch 38 and 39 GI Assessment

A patient who has dysphagia after a stroke is receiving enteral nutrition through a percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG). What intervention should the nurse integrate into the plan of care? a. Use 30 mL of normal saline to flush the tube every 4 hours. b. Avoid flushing the tube any time the patient is receiving continuous feedings. c. Flush the tube before and after feedings if the patient's feedings are intermittent. d. Flush the PEG with 100 mL of sterile water before and after medication administration.

Answer: C Rationale: The nurse should flush feeding tubes with 30 mL of water, not normal saline, every 4 hours and before and after medication administration during continuous feeding or before and after intermittent feeding. Flushes of 100 mL are excessive and may cause fluid overload in the patient.

A young adult with extensive facial injuries from a motor vehicle crash is receiving continuous enteral nutrition through a percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG). Which action will the nurse include in the plan of care? a. Keep the patient positioned lying on the left side. b. Flush the tube with 30 mL of water every 4 hours. c. Crush and mix medications in with the feeding formula. d. Obtain a daily abdominal radiograph to verify tube placement.

Answer: b Rationale: The tube is flushed every 4 hours during continuous feedings to avoid tube obstruction. The patient should be positioned with the head of the bed elevated.

The nurse receives the following information about a patient who is scheduled for a colonoscopy. Which information should be communicated to the health care provider before sending the patient for the procedure? a. The patient declined to drink the prescribed laxative solution. b. The patient has had an allergic reaction to shellfish and iodine. c. The patient has a permanent pacemaker to prevent bradycardia. d. The patient is worried about discomfort during the examination.

ANS: A If the patient has had inadequate bowel preparation, the colon cannot be visualized and the procedure would be rescheduled. Because contrast solution is not used during colonoscopy, the iodine allergy is not pertinent. A pacemaker is contraindication to magnetic resonance imaging but not to colonoscopy. The nurse should instruct the patient about the sedation used during the examination to decrease the patient's anxiety about discomfort.

What action should the nurse take after assisting with a needle biopsy of the liver at a patient's bedside? a. Elevate the head of the bed to facilitate breathing. b. Place the patient on the right side with the bed flat. c. Check the patient's postbiopsy coagulation studies. d. Position a sandbag over the liver to provide pressure.

ANS: B After a biopsy, the patient lies on the right side with the bed flat to splint the biopsy site. Coagulation studies are checked before the biopsy. A sandbag does not exert adequate pressure to splint the site.

An older patient reports chronic constipation. To promote bowel evacuation, when should the nurse suggest that the patient attempt defecation? a. In the mid-afternoon b. After eating breakfast c. Right after awakening in the morning d. Immediately before the first daily meal

ANS: B The gastrocolic reflex is most active after the first daily meal. Awakening, the anticipation of eating, and mid-afternoon timing do not stimulate these reflexes.

Which information about an 80-yr-old male patient at the senior center is of most concern to the nurse? a. Decreased appetite b. Occasional indigestion c. Unintended weight loss d. Difficulty chewing food

ANS: C Unintentional weight loss is not a normal finding and may indicate a problem such as cancer or depression. Poor appetite, difficulty in chewing, and indigestion are common in older patients. These will need to be addressed but are not of as much concern as the weight loss.

Which statement to the nurse from a patient with jaundice indicates a need for teaching? a. "I used cough syrup several times a day last week." b. "I take a baby aspirin every day to prevent strokes." c. "I take an antacid for indigestion several times a week" d. "I use acetaminophen (Tylenol) every 4 hours for pain."

ANS: D Chronic use of high doses of acetaminophen can be hepatotoxic and may have caused the patient's jaundice. The other patient statements require further assessment by the nurse but do not indicate a need for patient education.

A 20-yr-old woman is being admitted with electrolyte disorders of unknown etiology. Which assessment finding is most important to report to the health care provider? a. The patient uses laxatives daily. b. The patient's knuckles are macerated. c. The patient's serum potassium level is 2.9 mEq/L. d. The patient has a history of extreme weight fluctuations.

Answer: c Rationale: The low serum potassium level may cause life-threatening cardiac dysrhythmias, and potassium supplementation is needed rapidly.

Which action should the nurse take first when preparing to teach a frail 79-yr-old Hispanic man who lives with an adult daughter about ways to improve nutrition? a. Ask the daughter about the patient's food preferences. b. Determine who shops for groceries and prepares the meals. c. Question the patient about how many meals per day are eaten. d. Assure the patient that culturally preferred foods will be included.

B. Determine who shops for groceries and prepares the meals. (The family member who shops for groceries and cooks will be incontrol of the patient's diet, so the nurse will need to ensure that this family member is involved in any teaching or discussion about the patient's nutritional needs.