Deck 23: Nursing Care of People With Bowel Disorders

Question 1

A person is undergoing a small bowel series radiological examination. What is the appropriate nursing advice for this procedure?

A)In preparation for the test, the person must consume a high-fibre diet.
B)The person will be on a fluid restriction immediately after the test.
C)The person's stool will be chalky white for several days after the exam.
D)The person will be NBM for 24 hours before the procedure.

Answer 1

The person's stool will be chalky white for several days after the exam.

Question 2

The nurse is beginning the interview of an older person with a bowel disorder. Which of the following might be an appropriate question to begin this interview?

A)'Older people often become preoccupied about their bowels.'
B)'Do you have any other health-related problems?'
C)'I see here that you have a problem with constipation.'
D)'Many people your age become fixated about their bowels.'

Answer 2

'Do you have any other health-related problems?'

Question 3

A person is scheduled for a test to visualise the entire colon. What should the nurse provide pre-procedure instructions for? A(n):

A)pyelogram.
B)colonoscopy.
C)flexible sigmoidoscopy.
D)gastroscopy.

Answer 3

colonoscopy.

Question 4

A person says, 'I drink so much water every day-you'd think I would have diarrhoea, not constipation!' What is an appropriate response for the nurse to make to this person?

A)'Are you sure you're drinking as much as you think you are?'
B)'Most of the water you drink is being lost from the body in your urine.'
C)'Only about 1 litre of the water is retained in the stool. The rest is absorbed into the body.'
D)'You are still dehydrated.'

Question 5

During the auscultation of a person's abdomen the person states, 'Something must be wrong-you've been listening down there forever!' How should the nurse respond?

A)'I am having trouble listening with this stethoscope.'
B)'I need to count up the number of bowel sounds I hear.'
C)'Bowel sounds are always very difficult to hear.'
D)'I need to listen over all the major areas of your stomach.'

Question 6

A person has recently lost her mother to colon cancer. Which of the following would be important for the nurse to suggest to this person?

A)'You should make sure to have a colonoscopy every 6 months.'
B)'It's vital that you speak with a psychologist about your mother's death.'
C)'It's important that you help your father adjust to this loss-cancer is so frightening.'
D)'You should be checked for colon cancer as well because it runs in families.'

Question 7

The nurse is auscultating a person's abdomen. What would the nurse expect to hear if the person was experiencing the onset of bowel obstruction?

A)Dull bowel sounds
B)Rhonchi
C)High-pitched bowel sounds
D)Friction rubs

Question 8

A person is scheduled for an abdominal ultrasound. Which of the following should the nurse provide as pre-procedure instructions?

A)'Take clear liquids only after midnight.'
B)'Be sure to stop eating or drinking for at least 8 hours before the test.'
C)'Do not eat anything 2 hours before the test.'
D)'You can eat and drink what you want.'

Question 9

A person has been diagnosed with internal haemorrhoids. Where are the haemorrhoids most likely located? At the:

A)hepatic flexure.
B)splenic flexure.
C)descending colon.
D)anorectal junction.

Question 10

The nurse is preparing to assess a person's abdomen. Place in order the steps the nurse should follow when performing this assessment. 1. Auscultation
2) Inspection
3) Palpation
4) Percussion

Question 11

The nurse is assessing a person with diarrhoea. Which of the following would be appropriate for the nurse to ask during the focused assessment?

A)'Are you still taking the medication for depression?'
B)'Tell me about your work responsibilities.'
C)'Are you still taking the prescribed sleeping medication?'
D)'Have you been feeling blue or sad recently?'

Question 12

A person is having stool collected for guaiac testing. What is the test looking for in the stool? The presence of:

A)white blood cells.
B)parasites.
C)blood.
D)bacteria.

Question 13

The nurse is assessing a person with a pancreatic disorder. The nurse realises the person might be experiencing digestive problems that affect which section of the intestines?

A)Jejunum
B)Ascending colon
C)Duodenum
D)Transverse colon

Question 14

A person has black, tarry stool. The nurse recognises that this might result from which of the following?

A)Fat malabsorption
B)Colon cancer
C)Irritable bowel disease
D)Upper gastrointestinal bleeding

Question 15

A person comes into the outpatient clinic for testing because of chronic constipation. What might this person have evidence of?

A)Inflammatory bowel diseases
B)External haemorrhoids
C)Gastroenteritis
D)Irritable bowel syndrome

Question 16

An elderly person says, 'I drink milk and take calcium. I don't know why the osteoporosis is getting worse.' What is an appropriate response for the nurse to say to this person?

A)'Older people sometimes have difficulty absorbing calcium and vitamin D.'
B)'You need to change to a different dairy product.'
C)'There's very little that can be done to stop it.'
D)Maybe you need to consume other dairy products in addition to milk.'

Question 17

After testing a person's stool sample for occult blood, the nurse notes the finding as being 'trace'. Which of the following should the nurse say to this person?

A)'This result could indicate that you have bowel cancer.'
B)'Most people have some blood in their stool, no need to worry.'
C)'The results are inconclusive, make sure to follow up with your doctor.'
D)'You will need to provide another stool sample for retesting.'

Question 18

A person is undergoing a colonoscopy. Which statement reflects correct teaching by the nurse for this procedure?

A)'Make sure to include high-fibre foods in your diet as soon as possible after the test.'
B)'While it is advisable for you to have someone drive you home immediately after the exam, you may drive if you like.'
C)'It is common to experience bloating and increased flatus after this procedure.'
D)'For several days prior to the procedure, make sure that you ingest a high-fibre diet.'

Question 19

The nurse is instructing a person about how to increase intra-abdominal pressure in order to facilitate a bowel movement. In this example, what is the nurse instructing the person about?

A)Valsalva manoeuvre
B)Crede procedure
C)Splinting
D)Tetany

Question 20

During the assessment of a person's perianal area, the nurse notes 'donut-shaped red tissue'. What is this finding indicative of?

A)Anorectal abscess
B)Pilonidal disease
C)Prolapsed rectum
D)Anorectal fistula