Nokea
The nurse is caring for a patient with a duodenal ulcer and is relating the patient's symptoms to the physiologic functions of the small intestine. What do these functions include?
- A. Secretion of hydrochloric acid (HCl)
- B. Reabsorption of water
- C. Secretion of mucus
- D. Absorption of nutrients
- E. Movement of nutrients into the bloodstream
Correct Answer: C,D,E
Rationale: The small intestine folds back and forth on itself, providing approximately 7000 cm^2 (70 m^2) of surface area for secretion and absorption, the process by which nutrients enter the bloodstream through the intestinal walls. Water reabsorption primarily takes place in the large bowel. HCl is secreted by the stomach.
You may also like to solve these questions
An adult patient is scheduled for an upper GI series that will use a barium swallow. What teaching should the nurse include when the patient has completed the test?
- A. Stool will be yellow for the first 24 hours postprocedure.
- B. The barium may cause diarrhea for the next 24 hours.
- C. Fluids must be increased to facilitate the evacuation of the stool.
- D. Slight anal bleeding may be noted as the barium is passed.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Postprocedural patient education includes information about increasing fluid intake; evaluating bowel movements for evacuation of barium; and noting increased number of bowel movements, because barium, due to its high osmolarity, may draw fluid into the bowel, thus increasing the intraluminal contents and resulting in greater output. Yellow stool, diarrhea, and anal bleeding are not expected.
A nurse is assessing the abdomen of a patient just admitted to the unit with a suspected GI disease. Inspection reveals several diverse lesions on the patient's abdomen. How should the nurse best interpret this assessment finding?
- A. Abdominal lesions are usually due to age-related skin changes.
- B. Integumentary diseases often cause GI disorders.
- C. GI diseases often produce skin changes.
- D. The patient needs to be assessed for self-harm.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Abdominal lesions are of particular importance, because GI diseases often produce skin changes. Skin problems do not normally cause GI disorders. Age-related skin changes do not have a pronounced effect on the skin of the abdomen when compared to other skin surfaces. Self-harm is a less likely explanation for skin lesions on the abdomen.
Probably the most widely used in-office or at-home occult blood test is the Hemoccult II. The patient has come to the clinic because he thinks there is blood in his stool. When you reviewed his medications, you noted he is on antihypertensive drugs and NSAIDs for early arthritic pain. You are sending the patient home with the supplies necessary to perform 2 hemoccult tests on his stool and mail the samples back to the clinic. What instruction would you give this patient?
- A. Take all your medications as usual.
- B. Take all your medications except the antihypertensive medications.
- C. Don't eat highly acidic foods 72 hours before you start the test.
- D. Avoid vitamin C for 72 hours before you start the test.
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Red meats, aspirin, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, turnips, and horseradish should be avoided for 72 hours prior to the study, because they may cause a false-positive result. Also, ingestion of vitamin C from supplements or foods can cause a false-negative result. Acidic foods do not need to be avoided.
A nurse is caring for a patient with recurrent hematemesis who is scheduled for upper gastrointestinal fibroscopy (UGF). How should the nurse in the radiology department prepare this patient?
- A. Insert a nasogastric tube.
- B. Administer a micro Fleet enema at least 3 hours before the procedure.
- C. Have the patient lie in a supine position for the procedure.
- D. Apply local anesthetic to the back of the patient's throat.
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Preparation for UGF includes spraying or gargling with a local anesthetic. A nasogastric tube or a micro Fleet enema is not required for this procedure. The patient should be positioned in a side-lying position in case of emesis.
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.