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A nurse is caring for a patient who has been admitted for the treatment of advanced cirrhosis. What assessment should the nurse prioritize in this patients plan of care?
- A. Measurement of abdominal girth and body weight
- B. Assessment for variceal bleeding
- C. Assessment for signs and symptoms of jaundice
- D. Monitoring of results of liver function testing
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Esophageal varices are a major cause of mortality in patients with uncompensated cirrhosis. Consequently, this should be a focus of the nurses assessments and should be prioritized over the other listed assessments, even though each should be performed.
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A nurse is performing an admission assessment of a patient with a diagnosis of cirrhosis. What technique should the nurse use to palpate the patients liver?
- A. Place hand under the right lower abdominal quadrant and press down lightly with the other hand.
- B. Place the left hand over the abdomen and behind the left side at the 11th rib.
- C. Place hand under right lower rib cage and press down lightly with the other hand.
- D. Hold hand 90 degrees to right side of the abdomen and push down firmly.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: To palpate the liver, the examiner places one hand under the right lower rib cage and presses downward with light pressure with the other hand. The liver is not on the left side or in the right lower abdominal quadrant.
A group of nurses have attended an inservice on the prevention of occupationally acquired diseases that affect healthcare providers. What action has the greatest potential to reduce a nurses risk of acquiring hepatitis C in the workplace?
- A. Disposing of sharps appropriately and not recapping needles
- B. Performing meticulous hand hygiene at the appropriate moments in care
- C. Adhering to the recommended schedule of immunizations
- D. Wearing an N95 mask when providing care for patients on airborne precautions
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: HCV is bloodborne. Consequently, prevention of needlestick injuries is paramount. Hand hygiene, immunizations and appropriate use of masks are important aspects of overall infection control, but these actions do not directly mitigate the risk of HCV.
A nurse is caring for a patient with cancer of the liver whose condition has required the insertion of a percutaneous biliary drainage system. The nurses most recent assessment reveals the presence of dark green fluid in the collection container. What is the nurses best response to this assessment finding?
- A. Document the presence of normal bile output.
- B. Irrigate the drainage system with normal saline as ordered.
- C. Aspirate a sample of the drainage for culture.
- D. Promptly report this assessment finding to the primary care provider.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Bile is usually a dark green or brownish-yellow color, so this would constitute an expected assessment finding, with no other action necessary.
A nurse is caring for a patient with severe hemolytic jaundice. Laboratory tests show free bilirubin to be 24 mg/dL. For what complication is this patient at risk?
- A. Chronic jaundice
- B. Pigment stones in portal circulation
- C. Central nervous system damage
- D. Hepatomegaly
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Prolonged jaundice, even if mild, predisposes to the formation of pigment stones in the gallbladder, and extremely severe jaundice (levels of free bilirubin exceeding 20 to 25 mg/dL) poses a risk for CNS damage. There are not specific risks of hepatomegaly or chronic jaundice resulting from high bilirubin.
A patient with esophageal varices is being cared for in the ICU. The varices have begun to bleed and the patient is at risk for hypovolemia. The patient has Ringers lactate at 150 cc/hr infusing. What else might the nurse expect to have ordered to maintain volume for this patient?
- A. Arterial line
- B. Diuretics
- C. Foley catheter
- D. Volume expanders
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Because patients with bleeding esophageal varices have intravascular volume depletion and are subject to electrolyte imbalance, IV fluids with electrolytes and volume expanders are provided to restore fluid volume and replace electrolytes. Diuretics would reduce vascular volume. An arterial line and Foley catheter are likely to be ordered, but neither actively maintains the patients volume.