A patient is one month postoperative following restrictive bariatric surgery. The patient tells the clinic nurse that he has been having trouble swallowing for the past few days. What recommendation should the nurse make?
- A. Eating more slowly and chewing food more thoroughly
- B. Taking an OTC antacid or drinking a glass of milk prior to each meal
- C. Chewing gum to cause relaxation of the lower esophageal sphincter
- D. Drinking at least 12 ounces of liquid with each meal
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Dysphagia may be prevented by educating patients to eat slowly, to chew food thoroughly, and to avoid eating tough foods such as steak or dry chicken or doughy bread. After bariatric procedures, patients should normally not drink beverages with meals. Medications or chewing gum will not alleviate this problem.
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A patient is undergoing diagnostic testing for a tumor of the small intestine. What are the most likely symptoms that prompted the patient to first seek care?
- A. Hematemesis and persistent sensation of fullness
- B. Abdominal bloating and recurrent constipation
- C. Intermittent pain and bloody stool
- D. Unexplained bowel incontinence and fatty stools
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: When the patient is symptomatic from a tumor of the small intestine, benign tumors often present with intermittent pain. The next most common presentation is occult bleeding. The other listed signs and symptoms are not normally associated with the presentation of small intestinal tumors.
A patient who experienced an upper GI bleed due to gastritis has had the bleeding controlled and the patients condition is now stable. For the next several hours, the nurse caring for this patient should assess for what signs and symptoms of recurrence?
- A. Tachycardia, hypotension, and tachypnea
- B. Tarry, foul-smelling stools
- C. Diaphoresis and sudden onset of abdominal pain
- D. Sudden thirst, unrelieved by oral fluid administration
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Tachycardia, hypotension, and tachypnea are signs of recurrent bleeding. Patients who have had one GI bleed are at risk for recurrence. Tarry stools are expected short-term findings after a hemorrhage. Hemorrhage is not normally associated with sudden thirst or diaphoresis.
A patient with a diagnosis of peptic ulcer disease has just been prescribed omeprazole (Prilosec). How should the nurse best describe this medications therapeutic action?
- A. This medication will reduce the amount of acid secreted in your stomach.
- B. This medication will make the lining of your stomach more resistant to damage.
- C. This medication will specifically address the pain that accompanies peptic ulcer disease.
- D. This medication will help your stomach lining to repair itself.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Proton pump inhibitors like Prilosec inhibit the synthesis of stomach acid. PPIs do not increase the durability of the stomach lining, relieve pain, or stimulate tissue repair.
A nurse is preparing to discharge a patient after recovery from gastric surgery. What is an appropriate discharge outcome for this patient?
- A. The patients bowel movements maintain a loose consistency.
- B. The patient is able to tolerate three large meals a day.
- C. The patient maintains or gains weight.
- D. The patient consumes a diet high in calcium.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Expected outcomes for the patient following gastric surgery include ensuring that the patient is maintaining or gaining weight (patient should be weighed daily), experiencing no excessive diarrhea, and tolerating six small meals a day. Patients may require vitamin B12 supplementation by the intramuscular route and do not require a diet excessively rich in calcium.
A patient has been admitted to the hospital after diagnostic imaging revealed the presence of a gastric outlet obstruction (GOO). What is the nurses priority intervention?
- A. Administration of antiemetics
- B. Insertion of an NG tube for decompression
- C. Infusion of hypotonic IV solution
- D. Administration of proton pump inhibitors as ordered
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: In treating the patient with gastric outlet obstruction, the first consideration is to insert an NG tube to decompress the stomach. This is a priority over fluid or medication administration.
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