Nutrition Test Bank Review

The nurse is preparing to check the gastric aspirate for pH. Which equipment will the nurse obtain? a. 10-mL Luer-Lok syringe b. Asepto syringe c. Sterile gloves d. Double gloves

ANS: B Cone-tipped or Asepto syringe is needed for testing of gastric aspirate for pH; these syringes are better than a Luer-Lok syringe. Clean gloves are needed, not sterile or double.

The patient has just started on enteral feedings, and the patient is reporting abdominal cramping. Which action will the nurse take next? a. Slow the rate of tube feeding. b. Instill cold formula to "numb" the stomach. c. Change the tube feeding to a high-fat formula. d. Consult with the health care provider about prokinetic medication.

ANS: A One possible cause of abdominal cramping is a rapid increase in rate or volume. Lowering the rate of delivery may increase tolerance. Another possible cause of abdominal cramping is the use of cold formula. The nurse should warm the formula to room temperature. High-fat formulas are also a cause of abdominal cramping. Consult with the health care provider regarding prokinetic medication for increasing gastric motility for delayed gastric emptying.

The patient is on parenteral nutrition and is lethargic. The patient reports thirst and headache and has had increased urination. Which problem does the nurse prepare to address? a. Hyperglycemia b. Hypoglycemia c. Hypercapnia d. Hypocapnia

ANS: A Signs and symptoms of hyperglycemia are thirst, headache, lethargy, and increased urination. Hypocapnia is not associated with parenteral nutrition. Hypercapnia increases oxygen consumption and increases CO2 levels. Ventilator-dependent patients are at greatest risk for this. Hypoglycemia is characterized by diaphoresis, shakiness, confusion, and loss of consciousness.

The nurse is providing home care for a patient diagnosed with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Which dietary intervention will the nurse add to the care plan? a. Provide small, frequent nutrient-dense meals for maximizing kilocalories. b. Prepare hot meals because they are more easily tolerated by the patient. c. Avoid salty foods and limit liquids to preserve electrolytes. d. Encourage intake of fatty foods to increase caloric intake.

ANS: A Small, frequent, nutrient-dense meals that limit fatty foods and overly sweet foods are easier to tolerate. Restorative care of malnutrition resulting from AIDS focuses on maximizing kilocalories and nutrients. Patients benefit from eating cold foods and drier or saltier foods with fluid in between.

A nurse is teaching a health class about the nutritional requirements throughout the life span. Which information should the nurse include in the teaching session? (Select all that apply.) a. Infants triple weight at 1 year. b. Toddlers become picky eaters. c. School-age children need to avoid hot dogs and grapes. d. Breastfeeding women need an additional 750 kcal/day. e. Older adults have altered food flavor from a decrease in taste cells.

ANS: A, B, E An infant usually doubles birth weight at 4 to 5 months and triples it at 1 year. Toddlers exhibit strong food preferences and become picky eaters. Older adults often experience a decrease in taste cells that alters food flavor and may decrease intake. Toddlers need to avoid hot dogs and grapes, not school-age children. The lactating woman needs 500 kcal/day above the usual allowance because the production of milk increases energy requirements.

The patient is asking the nurse about the best way to stay healthy. The nurse explains to the patient which teaching points? (Select all that apply.) a. Increase physical activity. b. Keep total fat intake to 10% or less. c. Maintain body weight in a healthy range. d. Choose and prepare foods with little salt. e. Increase intake of meat and other high-protein foods.

ANS: A, C, D Recommendations include maintaining body weight in a healthy range; increasing physical activity and decreasing sedentary activities; increasing intake of fruits, vegetables, whole grain products, and fat-free or low-fat milk; eating moderate amount of lean meats, poultry, and eggs; keeping fat intake between 20% and 35% of total calories, with most fats coming from polyunsaturated or monounsaturated fatty acids (most meats contain saturated fatty acids); and choosing prepared foods with little salt while at the same time eating potassium-rich foods.

When assessing patient with nutritional needs, which patients will require follow-up from the nurse? (Select all that apply.) a. A patient with infection taking tetracycline with milk b. A patient with irritable bowel syndrome increasing fiber c. A patient with diverticulitis following a high-fiber diet daily d. A patient with an enteral feeding and 500 mL of gastric residual e. A patient with dysphagia being referred to a speech-language pathologist

ANS: A, C, D The nurse should follow up with the tetracycline, diverticulitis, and enteral feeding. Tetracycline has decreased drug absorption with milk and antacids and has decreased nutrient absorption of calcium from binding. Nutritional treatment for diverticulitis includes a moderate- or low-residue diet until the infection subsides. Afterward, prescribing a high-fiber diet for chronic diverticula problems ensues. A patient with a gastric residual volume of 500 mL needs to have the feeding withheld and reassessed for tolerance to feedings. All the rest are normal and expected and do not require followup. Patients manage irritable bowel syndrome by increasing fiber, reducing fat, avoiding large meals, and avoiding lactose or sorbitol-containing foods for susceptible individuals. Initiate consultation with a speech-language pathologist for swallowing exercises and techniques to improve swallowing and reduce risk of aspiration for a patient with dysphagia.

To honor cultural values of patients from different ethnic/religious groups, which actions demonstrate culturally sensitive care by the nurse? (Select all that apply.) a. Allows fasting on Yom Kippur for a Jewish patient b. Allows caffeine drinks for a Mormon patient c. Serves no ham products to a Muslim patient d. Serves kosher foods to a Christian patient e. Serves no meat or fish to a Hindu patient

ANS: A, C, E The Jewish religion fasts 24 hours on Yom Kippur and must adhere to kosher food preparation methods. Hinduism requires no meats or fish. Muslims do not eat pork. Mormons do not drink caffeinated or alcoholic drinks.

The nurse is concerned about pulmonary aspiration when providing the patient with an intermittent tube feeding. Which action is the priority? a. Observe the color of gastric contents. b. Verify tube placement before feeding. c. Add blue food coloring to the enteral formula. d. Run the formula over 12 hours to decrease overload.

ANS: B A major cause of pulmonary aspiration is regurgitation of formula. The nurse needs to verify tube placement and elevate the head of the bed 30 to 45 degrees during feedings and for 2 hours afterward. While observing the color of gastric contents is a component, it is not the priority component; pH is the primary component. The addition of blue food coloring to enteral formula to assist with detection of aspirate is no longer used. Do not hang formula longer than 4 to 8 hours. Formula becomes a medium for bacterial growth after that length of time.

In providing diabetic teaching for a patient with type 1 diabetes mellitus, which instructions will the nurse provide to the patient? a. Insulin is the only consideration that must be taken into account. b. Saturated fat should be limited to less than 7% of total calories. c. Nonnutritive sweeteners can be used without restriction. d. Cholesterol intake should be greater than 200 mg/day.

ANS: B The diabetic patient should limit saturated fat to less than 7% of total calories and cholesterol intake to less than 200 mg/day. Type 1 diabetes requires both insulin and dietary restrictions for optimal control. Nonnutritive sweeteners can be eaten as long as the recommended daily intake levels are followed.

A nurse is caring for a group of patients. Which patient will the nurse see first? a. Patient receiving total parenteral nutrition of 2-in-1 for 50 hours b. Patient receiving total parenteral nutrition infusing with same tubing for 26 hours c. Patient receiving continuous enteral feeding with same feeding bag for 12 hours d. Patient receiving continuous enteral feeding with same tubing for 24 hours

ANS: B The nurse should see the patient with total parenteral nutrition that has the same tubing for 26 hours. To prevent infection, change the TPN infusion tubing every 24 hours. Change the administration system every 72 hours when infusing a 2-in-1 solution and every 24 hours for a 3-in-1 solution. Change bag and use a new administration set every 24 hours for a continuous enteral feeding. While the patient with the continuous enteral feeding has the same tubing for 24 hours, it has not extended the time like the total parenteral nutrition has.

A patient develops a foodborne disease from Escherichia coli. When taking a health history, which food item will the nurse most likely find the patient ingested? a. Improperly home-canned food b. Undercooked ground beef c. Soft cheese d. Custard

ANS: B Undercooked ground beef is the usual food source for Escherichia coli. Botulism is associated with improperly home-canned foods. Soft cheese is the usual food source for listeriosis. Custards are associated with salmonellosis andStaphylococcus.

The patient with cardiovascular disease is receiving dietary instructions from the nurse. Which information from the patient indicates teaching is successful? a. Maintain a prescribed carbohydrate intake. b. Eat fish at least 5 times per week. c. Limit trans fat to less than 1%. d. Avoid high-fiber foods.

ANS: C American Heart Association guidelines recommend limiting saturated fat to less than 7%, trans fat to less than 1%, and cholesterol to less than 300 mg/day. Diet therapy includes eating fish at least 2 times per week and eating whole grain high-fiber foods. Maintaining a prescribed carbohydrate intake is necessary for diabetes mellitus.

The patient has just been started on an enteral feeding and has developed diarrhea after being on the feeding for 2 hours. What does the nurse suspect is the most likely cause of the diarrhea? a. Antibiotic therapy b. Clostridium difficile c. Formula intolerance d. Bacterial contamination

ANS: C Hyperosmolar formulas can cause diarrhea or formula intolerance. If that is the case, the solution is to lower the rate, dilute the formula, or change to an isotonic formula. Antibiotics destroy normal intestinal flora and disturb the internal ecology, allowing for Clostridium difficile toxin buildup. However, this takes time (more than 2 hours), and no indication suggests that this patient is on antibiotics. Bacterial contamination of the feeding usually occurs when feedings are left hanging for longer than 8 hours.

The patient is having at least 75% of nutritional needs met by enteral feeding, so the health care provider has ordered the parenteral nutrition (PN) to be discontinued. However, the nurse notices that the PN infusion has fallen behind. What should the nurse do? a. Increase the rate to get the volume caught up before discontinuing. b. Stop the infusion as ordered. c. Taper infusion gradually. d. Hang 5% dextrose.

ANS: C Sudden discontinuation of PN can cause hypoglycemia. PN must be tapered off. Usually, 10% dextrose is infused when PN solution is suddenly discontinued. Too rapid administration of hypertonic dextrose (PN) can result in an osmotic diuresis and dehydration. If an infusion falls behind schedule, the nurse should not increase the rate in an attempt to catch up.

The patient is to receive multiple medications via the nasogastric tube. The nurse is concerned that the tube may become clogged. Which action is best for the nurse to take? a. Instill nonliquid medications without diluting. b. Irrigate the tube with 60 mL of water after all medications are given. c. Mix all medications together to decrease the number of administrations. d. Check with the pharmacy for availability of the liquid forms of medications.

ANS: D Use liquid medications when available to prevent tube occlusion. Irrigate with 30 mL of water before and after each medication per tube. Completely dissolve crushed medications in liquid if liquid medication is not available. Read pharmacological information on compatibility of drugs and formula before mixing medications.

The nurse is caring for a patient receiving total parenteral nutrition (TPN). Which action will the nurse take? a. Run lipids for no longer than 24 hours. b. Take down a running bag of TPN after 36 hours. c. Clean injection port with alcohol 5 seconds before and after use. d. Wear a sterile mask when changing the central venous catheter dressing.

ANS: D During central venous catheter dressing changes, always use a sterile mask and gloves, and assess insertion sites for signs and symptoms of infection. To avoid infection, change the TPN infusion tubing every 24 hours, and do not hang a single container of PN for longer than 24 hours or lipids longer than 12 hours.

A patient is on a full liquid diet. Which food item choice by the patient will cause the nurse to intervene? a. Custard b. Frozen yogurt c. Pureed vegetables d. Mashed potatoes and gravy

ANS: D Mashed potatoes and gravy are on a dysphagia, mechanical soft, soft and regular diet but are not components of a full liquid diet. The nurse will need to provide teaching on what is allowed on the diet. Custard, frozen yogurt, and pureed vegetables are all on a full liquid diet.