Question 1

The student nurse studying bowel elimination learns that the following statements accurately describe the process of peristalsis. Select all that apply.&#10;A) The sympathetic nervous system stimulates movement.&#10;B) The autonomic nervous system innervates the muscles of the colon.&#10;C) Peristalsis occurs every 3 to 12 minutes.&#10;D) Mass peristaltic sweeps occur one to four times each 24-hour period in most people.&#10;E) Mass peristalsis often occurs after food has been ingested.&#10;F) One-third to one-half of ingested food waste is normally excreted in the stool within 48 hours.

Accepted Answer

B, C, D, E

Question 2

What term is used to describe intestinal gas?&#10;A) feces&#10;B) stool&#10;C) peristalsis&#10;D) flatus

Accepted Answer

Flatus is the term used to describe intestinal gas. Feces and stool refer to solid waste material in the intestines and peristalsis refers to the wave-like muscle contractions that move food through the digestive system.

Question 3

Which of the following statements accurately describes the act of defecation?&#10;A) Defecation refers to the emptying of the small intestine.&#10;B) Centers in the medulla and the spinal cord govern the reflex to defecate.&#10;C) When sympathetic stimulation occurs, the internal anal sphincter relaxes and the colon contracts sending fecal content to the rectum.&#10;D) Rectal distention leads to a decrease in intrarectal pressure, causing the muscles to stretch and thereby stimulating the defecation reflex.

Accepted Answer

Defecation is controlled by centers in the medulla and the spinal cord, which govern the reflex to defecate. This process involves the coordination of autonomic and somatic nervous systems to facilitate the expulsion of feces from the rectum.

Question 4

A nurse caring for elderly patients in an assisted-living facility encourages patients to eat a diet high in fiber to avoid which of the following developmental risk factors for this group?&#10;A) diarrhea&#10;B) fecal incontinence&#10;C) constipation&#10;D) flatus

Accepted Answer

Elderly patients are at risk for constipation due to a variety of factors including decreased mobility, medication use, and decreased fluid intake. A diet high in fiber can help prevent constipation and promote regular bowel movements. The other options are also related to bowel function but are not specifically developmental risk factors for elderly patients.

Question 5

A patient with terminal cancer is taking high doses of a narcotic for pain. The nurse will teach the patient or family about what common side effect of opioids?&#10;A) inability to change positions&#10;B) problems with communication&#10;C) diarrhea&#10;D) constipation

Accepted Answer

Constipation is a common side effect of opioids due to their binding to opioid receptors in the gastrointestinal tract, which slows down peristalsis and can lead to constipation.

Question 6

A nurse is assessing a patient the first day after colon surgery. Based on knowledge of the effects of anesthesia and manipulation of the bowel during surgery, what focused assessment will be included?

A) bowel sounds
B) skin turgor
C) pulse character
D) urinary output

Accepted Answer

Bowel sounds will be assessed because anesthesia and manipulation of the bowel can cause paralytic ileus, which may result in absent bowel sounds. Skin turgor, pulse character, and urinary output are not directly related to the effects of anesthesia and manipulation of the bowel during surgery.

Question 7

A nurse has auscultated the abdomen in all four quadrants for 5 minutes and has not heard any bowel sounds. How would this be documented?&#10;A) &#34;Auscultated abdomen for bowel sounds, bowel not functioning.&#34;&#10;B) &#34;All four abdominal quadrants auscultated. Inaudible bowel sounds.&#34;&#10;C) &#34;Bowel sounds auscultated. Patient has no bowel sounds.&#34;&#10;D) &#34;Patient may have bowel sounds, but they can't be heard.&#34;

Accepted Answer

Option B accurately describes the situation by stating that all four abdominal quadrants were auscultated and no bowel sounds were heard. Option A is incorrect because it suggests that the bowel is not functioning, which cannot be determined solely based on the absence of bowel sounds. Option C is ambiguous and contradictory as it states that bowel sounds were auscultated but then says the patient has no bowel sounds. Option D is also incorrect because it suggests uncertainty about the presence of bowel sounds rather than a definitive finding of no bowel sounds.

Question 8

A patient is having liquid fecal seepage. He has not had a bowel movement for 6 days. Based on the data, what would the nurse assess?&#10;A) amount of intake and output&#10;B) color and amount of urine&#10;C) color of the feces&#10;D) consistency of the feces

Accepted Answer

The patient is presenting with liquid fecal seepage, which suggests fecal impaction. Therefore, the nurse should assess the consistency of the feces to confirm the diagnosis and determine the appropriate intervention. Assessing intake and output and urine color and amount may also be important in some cases, but they are not the priority in this situation. The color of the feces is also not as relevant as the consistency in this scenario.

Question 9

A nurse is caring for a patient with a colostomy. What type of stools would she expect to find in the colostomy bag?&#10;A) liquid&#10;B) watery&#10;C) formed&#10;D) none

Accepted Answer

A colostomy is a surgical procedure that involves creating an opening in the abdominal wall to allow waste to pass out of the body. The type of stools that are expected to be found in the colostomy bag will depend on the location of the stoma and the portion of the colon that has been bypassed. In general, if the colostomy is located on the left side of the colon, the stools will be formed and solid because the majority of water absorption occurs in the right colon. If the colostomy is located in the transverse colon, the stools may be semi-formed or softer because water absorption is still occurring but to a lesser extent. If the colostomy is located in the right colon, the stools will be liquid or semi-liquid because the majority of water absorption has already taken place. Therefore, in this case, the nurse can expect to find formed stools in the colostomy bag.

Question 10

The student nurse studying the anatomy and physiology of the urinary system knows that the following are functions of the bladder. Select all that apply.&#10;A) The bladder serves as a temporary reservoir for urine.&#10;B) The sympathetic system carries inhibitory impulses to the bladder .&#10;C) Urine from the bladder empties into the pelvis of each kidney.&#10;D) A fold of membrane in the bladder closes the entrance to the ureters when pressure exists.&#10;E) The parasympathetic system carries motor impulses to the bladder and inhibitory impulses to the internal sphincter.&#10;F) From the bladder, urine is transported by rhythmic peristalsis through the ureters to the kidneys.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The student nurse studying the anatomy and...

Question 11

A nurse is conducting a health history interview for an office patient who is having problems with urinary control. What would be an appropriate interview question to collect further data?&#10;A) &#34;Why don't you go to the bathroom more?&#34;&#10;B) &#34;How have you handled this problem?&#34;&#10;C) &#34;What does your wife think about this problem?&#34;&#10;D) &#34;What makes you think you have a problem?&#34;

Accepted Answer

The answer of A nurse is conducting a health history...

Question 12

A patient complains of having to void frequently, burning on urination, and odorous urine. Based on these assessment findings, the nurse would suspect the patient has which of the following conditions?

A) stress incontinence
B) urge incontinence
C) urinary tract infection
D) lower colon infection

Accepted Answer

The answer of A patient complains of having to void...

Question 13

A home care patient has an indwelling catheter connected to a leg bag. What can the nurse recommend to help prevent development of a urinary tract infection?&#10;A) Empty the leg bag at regular intervals.&#10;B) Always wipe from front to back after voiding.&#10;C) Restrict intake of fluids to decrease amount of urine.&#10;D) Take the tubing apart and wash it each day.

Accepted Answer

The answer of A home care patient has an indwelling...

Deck 28: Hygiene; and Skin Integrity and Wound Care