Exam 43: Nursing Management: Lower Gastrointestinal Problems

A patient diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) tells the nurse, "My friends tell me this problem is all in my head." In caring for the patient, the nurse should

A patient newly diagnosed with Crohn's disease asks the nurse what to expect in the future. The best response by the nurse is,

During the initial postoperative assessment of a patient's stoma formed with a transverse colostomy, the nurse finds it to be red with moderate edema and a small amount of bleeding. The nurse should

A patient returns from surgery following an abdominal-perineal resection with a sigmoid colostomy and abdominal and perineal incisions. The colostomy is dressed with petroleum jelly gauze and dry gauze dressings. The perineal incision is partially closed and has two drains attached to Jackson-Pratt suction. On the first postoperative day, the nurse gives the highest priority to

A patient is admitted to the emergency department for evaluation of right lower-quadrant abdominal pain with nausea and vomiting. The patient has a white blood cell count (WBC) of 14,000/ml with a shift to the left. Which of these actions is appropriate for the nurse to take?

A 23-year-old woman is being evaluated in the emergency department for acute lower abdominal pain and vomiting. During the nursing history, the most helpful question by the nurse to obtain information regarding the patient's condition is

The nurse identifies a nursing diagnosis of impaired skin integrity related to having 15 to 20 daily episodes of diarrhea for a patient with ulcerative colitis. The nurse recognizes that teaching regarding perianal care has been effective when the patient

When performing an admission assessment for a patient with abdominal pain, the nurse palpates the left lower quadrant and the patient complains of right lower quadrant pain. The nurse will document this as

During preoperative preparation for a patient scheduled for an abdominal-perineal resection, the nurse will

A patient who is hospitalized with a diagnosis of Giardia lamblia infection frequently has uncontrollable explosive diarrhea. The patient closes the eyes and will not talk to the nurse when the linens are changed and skin care is performed. To help maintain the patient's self-esteem, the nurse should

Before undergoing a colon resection for cancer of the colon, a patient has an elevated carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) test. The nurse explains that the test is used to

In providing discharge teaching for a patient who has undergone a hemorrhoidectomy at an outpatient surgical center, the nurse instructs the patient to

After being treated for a respiratory tract infection with a 10-day course of antibiotics, a 69-year-old patient calls the clinic and tells the nurse about developing frequent, watery diarrhea. The nurse anticipates that the patient will need to

After teaching a patient to irrigate a new colostomy, the nurse will determine that the teaching has been effective if the patient

A patient hospitalized with an acute exacerbation of ulcerative colitis is having 14 to 16 bloody stools a day and crampy abdominal pain associated with the diarrhea. The nurse will plan to

A patient is hospitalized with severe vomiting and colicky abdominal pain that is somewhat relieved with the vomiting. The health care provider orders an IV infusion of lactated Ringer's solution and placement of an NG tube. An appropriate collaborative problem for the nurse to identify for the patient at this time is

A patient with a gunshot wound to the abdomen undergoes surgery, and a colostomy is formed as illustrated. The nurse explains to the patient that

The nurse explains to a patient with a new ileostomy that after the bowel adjusts to the ileostomy, the usual drainage will be about

The nurse identifies the collaborative problem of potential complication: hypovolemic shock related to loss of circulatory volume for a patient with bacterial peritonitis resulting from a ruptured appendix. The nurse recognizes that the major loss of circulating fluid volume occurs as a result of

Psyllium (Metamucil) is prescribed for a patient with chronic constipation. In teaching the patient about the use of the drug, the nurse stresses that