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The nurse is providing health education to a patient scheduled for a colonoscopy. The nurse should explain that she will be placed in what position during this diagnostic test?
- A. In a knee-chest position (lithotomy position)
- B. Lying prone with legs drawn toward the chest
- C. Lying on the left side with legs drawn toward the chest
- D. In a prone position with two pillows elevating the buttocks
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: For best visualization, colonoscopy is performed while the patient is lying on the left side with the legs drawn up toward the chest. A knee-chest position, lying on the stomach with legs drawn to the chest, and a prone position with two pillows elevating the legs do not allow for the best visualization.
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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 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.
A patient with a recent history of intermittent bleeding is undergoing capsule endoscopy to determine the source of the bleeding. When explaining this diagnostic test to the patient, what advantage should the nurse describe?
- A. The test allows visualization of the entire peritoneal cavity.
- B. The test allows for painless biopsy collection.
- C. The test does not require fasting.
- D. The test is noninvasive.
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Capsule endoscopy allows the noninvasive visualization of the mucosa throughout the entire small intestine. Bowel preparation is necessary and biopsies cannot be collected. This procedure allows visualization of the entire GI tract, but not the peritoneal cavity.
Results of a patient's preliminary assessment prompted an examination of the patient's carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) levels, which have come back positive. What is the nurse's most appropriate response to this finding?
- A. Perform a focused abdominal assessment.
- B. Prepare to meet the patient's psychosocial needs.
- C. Liaise with the nurse practitioner to perform an anorectal examination.
- D. Encourage the patient to adhere to recommended screening protocols.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: CEA is a protein that is normally not detected in the blood of a healthy person; therefore, when detected it indicates that cancer is present, but not what type of cancer is present. The patient would likely be learning that he or she has cancer, so the nurse must prioritize the patient's immediate psychosocial needs, not abdominal assessment. Future screening is not a high priority in the short term.