RNUR 238 CHAPTER 38 - ASSESSMENT OF DIGESTIVE AND GASTROINTESTINAL FUNCTION
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
A nurse is caring for a client who is scheduled for a colonoscopy and whose 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? - Answers
Inflammatory bowel disease
A nurse is promoting increased protein intake to enhance a client's wound healing. What is the
enzyme that will initiate the digestion of the protein that the client consumes? - Answers Pepsin
A client has been brought to the emergency department with abdominal pain and is
subsequently diagnosed with appendicitis. The client is scheduled for an appendectomy but
questions the nurse about how a person's health is affected by the absence of the appendix.
How should the nurse best respond? - Answers "Your appendix doesn't play a major role in
health, so you won't notice any difference after your recovery from surgery."
An adult client is scheduled for an upper GI series that will use a barium swallow. What teaching
should the nurse include when the client has completed the test? - Answers Fluids must be
increased to facilitate the evacuation of the stool.
A nurse is caring for a client with recurrent hematemesis who is scheduled for upper
gastrointestinal fibroscopy. How should the nurse in the radiology department prepare this
client? - Answers Apply local anesthetic to the back of the client's throat.
The nurse is caring for a client scheduled for a colonoscopy. The nurse should assist the client
into what position during this diagnostic test? - Answers Lying on the left side with legs drawn
toward the chest
A client has sought care because of recent dark-colored stools. As a result, a fecal occult blood
test has been ordered. The nurse should give what instructions to the client? - Answers "Take no
NSAIDs within 72 hours of the test."
The nurse is preparing to perform a client's abdominal assessment. What examination
sequence should the nurse follow? - Answers Inspection, auscultation, percussion, and
palpation
A client who has been experiencing changes in his bowel function is scheduled for a barium
enema. What instruction should the nurse provide for postprocedure recovery? - Answers
Increase fluid intake to evacuate the barium.
A nurse is caring for a newly admitted client with a suspected GI bleed. The nurse assesses the
client's stool after a bowel movement and notes it to be a tarry-black color. This finding is
suggestive of bleeding from what location? - Answers Upper GI tract
, A nurse has auscultated a client's abdomen and noted one or two bowel sounds in a 2-minute
period of time. How should the nurse document the client's bowel sounds? - Answers
Hypoactive
An advanced practice nurse is assessing the size and density of a client's abdominal organs. If
the results of palpation are unclear to the nurse, what assessment technique should be
implemented? - Answers Percussion
The nurse is caring for a client with gastrointestinal symptoms who reports being under a
significant amount of stress at home and at work. Which gastrointestinal effect of stress should
the nurse anticipate is affecting this client? - Answers Slowed peristalsis
A client has returned to the medical unit after a barium enema. When assessing the client's
subsequent bowel patterns and stools, what finding would warrant reporting to the health care
provider? - Answers Streaks of blood present in the stool
A nurse is caring for clients in a stroke rehabilitation facility. Damage to what area of the brain
will most affect a client's ability to swallow? - Answers Medulla oblongata
A client is being assessed for a suspected deficit in intrinsic factor synthesis. What diagnostic
or assessment finding is the most likely rationale for this examination of intrinsic factor
production? - Answers Persistently low hemoglobin and hematocrit
A client 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 client, what
advantage should the nurse describe? - Answers The test is noninvasive.
A nurse is caring for a client admitted with a suspected malabsorption disorder. The nurse
knows that one of the accessory organs of the digestive system is the pancreas. What digestive
enzymes does the pancreas secrete? - Answers Lipase
Amylase
Trypsin
A nurse is performing an abdominal assessment of an older adult client. When collecting and
analyzing data, the nurse should be cognizant of what age-related change in gastrointestinal
structure and function? - Answers Decreased mucus secretion
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? - Answers Splenic vein
Inferior mesenteric vein
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
A nurse is caring for a client who is scheduled for a colonoscopy and whose 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? - Answers
Inflammatory bowel disease
A nurse is promoting increased protein intake to enhance a client's wound healing. What is the
enzyme that will initiate the digestion of the protein that the client consumes? - Answers Pepsin
A client has been brought to the emergency department with abdominal pain and is
subsequently diagnosed with appendicitis. The client is scheduled for an appendectomy but
questions the nurse about how a person's health is affected by the absence of the appendix.
How should the nurse best respond? - Answers "Your appendix doesn't play a major role in
health, so you won't notice any difference after your recovery from surgery."
An adult client is scheduled for an upper GI series that will use a barium swallow. What teaching
should the nurse include when the client has completed the test? - Answers Fluids must be
increased to facilitate the evacuation of the stool.
A nurse is caring for a client with recurrent hematemesis who is scheduled for upper
gastrointestinal fibroscopy. How should the nurse in the radiology department prepare this
client? - Answers Apply local anesthetic to the back of the client's throat.
The nurse is caring for a client scheduled for a colonoscopy. The nurse should assist the client
into what position during this diagnostic test? - Answers Lying on the left side with legs drawn
toward the chest
A client has sought care because of recent dark-colored stools. As a result, a fecal occult blood
test has been ordered. The nurse should give what instructions to the client? - Answers "Take no
NSAIDs within 72 hours of the test."
The nurse is preparing to perform a client's abdominal assessment. What examination
sequence should the nurse follow? - Answers Inspection, auscultation, percussion, and
palpation
A client who has been experiencing changes in his bowel function is scheduled for a barium
enema. What instruction should the nurse provide for postprocedure recovery? - Answers
Increase fluid intake to evacuate the barium.
A nurse is caring for a newly admitted client with a suspected GI bleed. The nurse assesses the
client's stool after a bowel movement and notes it to be a tarry-black color. This finding is
suggestive of bleeding from what location? - Answers Upper GI tract
, A nurse has auscultated a client's abdomen and noted one or two bowel sounds in a 2-minute
period of time. How should the nurse document the client's bowel sounds? - Answers
Hypoactive
An advanced practice nurse is assessing the size and density of a client's abdominal organs. If
the results of palpation are unclear to the nurse, what assessment technique should be
implemented? - Answers Percussion
The nurse is caring for a client with gastrointestinal symptoms who reports being under a
significant amount of stress at home and at work. Which gastrointestinal effect of stress should
the nurse anticipate is affecting this client? - Answers Slowed peristalsis
A client has returned to the medical unit after a barium enema. When assessing the client's
subsequent bowel patterns and stools, what finding would warrant reporting to the health care
provider? - Answers Streaks of blood present in the stool
A nurse is caring for clients in a stroke rehabilitation facility. Damage to what area of the brain
will most affect a client's ability to swallow? - Answers Medulla oblongata
A client is being assessed for a suspected deficit in intrinsic factor synthesis. What diagnostic
or assessment finding is the most likely rationale for this examination of intrinsic factor
production? - Answers Persistently low hemoglobin and hematocrit
A client 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 client, what
advantage should the nurse describe? - Answers The test is noninvasive.
A nurse is caring for a client admitted with a suspected malabsorption disorder. The nurse
knows that one of the accessory organs of the digestive system is the pancreas. What digestive
enzymes does the pancreas secrete? - Answers Lipase
Amylase
Trypsin
A nurse is performing an abdominal assessment of an older adult client. When collecting and
analyzing data, the nurse should be cognizant of what age-related change in gastrointestinal
structure and function? - Answers Decreased mucus secretion
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? - Answers Splenic vein
Inferior mesenteric vein
