A nurse is caring for a patient who is scheduled for a colonoscopy and whose bowel preparation will include polyethylene glycol electrolyte lavage prior to the procedure. The presence of what health problem would contraindicate the use of this form of bowel preparation?
- A. Inflammatory bowel disease
- B. Intestinal polyps
- C. Diverticulitis
- D. Colon cancer
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The use of a lavage solution is contraindicated in patients with intestinal obstruction or inflammatory bowel disease. It can safely be used with patients who have polyps, colon cancer, or diverticulitis.
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A patient has come to the clinic complaining of blood in his stool. A FOBT test is performed but is negative. Based on the patient's history, the physician suggests a colonoscopy, but the patient refuses, citing a strong aversion to the invasive nature of the test. What other test might the physician order to check for blood in the stool?
- A. A laparoscopic intestinal mucosa biopsy
- B. A quantitative fecal immunochemical test
- C. Computed tomography (CT)
- D. Magnetic resonance imagery (MRI)
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Quantitative fecal immunochemical tests may be more accurate than guaiac testing and useful for patients who refuse invasive testing. CT or MRI cannot detect blood in stool. Laparoscopic intestinal mucosa biopsy is not performed.
A patient with cystic fibrosis takes pancreatic enzyme replacements on a regular basis. The patient's intake of trypsin facilitates what aspect of GI function?
- A. Vitamin D synthesis
- B. Digestion of fats
- C. Maintenance of peristalsis
- D. Digestion of proteins
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Trypsin facilitates the digestion of proteins. It does not influence vitamin D synthesis, the digestion of fats, or peristalsis.
The nurse educator is reviewing the blood supply of the GI tract with a group of medical nurses. The nurse is explaining the fact that the veins that return blood from the digestive organs and the spleen form the portal venous system. What large veins will the nurse list when describing this system?
- A. Splenic vein
- B. Inferior mesenteric vein
- C. Gastric vein
- D. Inferior vena cava
- E. Saphenous vein
Correct Answer: A,B,C
Rationale: This portal venous system is composed of five large veins: the superior mesenteric, inferior mesenteric, gastric, splenic, and cystic veins, which eventually form the vena portac that enters the liver. The inferior vena cava is not part of the portal system. The saphenous vein is located in the leg.
A nursing student has auscultated a patient's abdomen and noted one or two bowel sounds in a 2-minute period of time. How would you tell the student to document the patient's bowel sounds?
- A. Normal
- B. Hypoactive
- C. Hyperactive
- D. Paralytic ileus
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Documenting bowel sounds is based on assessment findings. The terms normal (sounds heard about every 5 to 20 seconds), hypoactive (one or two sounds in 2 minutes), hyperactive (5 to 6 sounds heard in less than 30 seconds), or absent (no sounds in 3 to 5 minutes) are frequently used in documentation. Paralytic ileus is a medical diagnosis that may cause absent or hypoactive bowel sounds, but the nurse would not independently document this diagnosis.
A nurse is performing an abdominal assessment of an older adult patient. When collecting and analyzing data, the nurse should be cognizant of what age-related change in gastrointestinal structure and function?
- A. Increased gastric motility
- B. Decreased gastric pH
- C. Increased gag reflex
- D. Decreased mucus secretion
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Older adults tend to secrete less mucus than younger adults. Gastric motility slows with age and gastric pH rises due to decreased secretion of gastric acids. Older adults tend to have a blunted gag reflex compared to younger adults.
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