Deck 28: The Child with a Gastrointestinal Condition

Question 1

A child is brought to the pediatric clinic because he has been vomiting for the past 2 days.What acid-base imbalance would the nurse expect to occur from this persistent vomiting?

A) Hyperkalemia
B) Hypernatremia
C) Acidosis
D) Alkalosis

Answer 1

Alkalosis

Question 2

What description of a child's stool characteristic leads the nurse to suspect intussusception?

A) Currant jelly
B) Black and tarry
C) Green liquid
D) Greasy and foul-smelling

Answer 2

Currant jelly

Question 3

A child has been diagnosed with ascariasis (roundworm).Which statement made by her mother that may suggest a cause for her condition?

A) "I've been airing out the house on these nice breezy days."
B) "My child often goes out to the garden and pulls up a carrot to eat."
C) "She runs barefoot so much I have to wash her feet at least twice a day."
D) "We just remodeled our bathroom at home."

Answer 3

"My child often goes out to the garden and pulls up a carrot to eat."

Question 4

An infant is admitted to the hospital with severe isotonic dehydration.For what is this child at the highest risk?

A) Metabolic alkalosis
B) Hypocalcemia
C) Sepsis
D) Shock

Question 5

The nurse is planning a parent education program about lead poisoning prevention.What will be included regarding primary sources of lead in the community?

A) Increased lead content of air
B) Use of aluminum cookware
C) Deteriorating paint in older buildings
D) Inhaling smog

Question 6

What does the nurse expect the appearance of the stools of a child with celiac disease to be?

A) Ribbon like
B) Hard, constipated
C) Bulky, frothy
D) Loose, foul-smelling

Question 7

On the second day of hospitalization for a 3-month-old brought in for treatment for gastroenteritis,the nurse makes all of the assessments listed below.Which assessment finding indicates ineffectiveness of treatment?

A) Weight loss of 4 ounces
B) Dry mucous membranes
C) Decreased skin turgor
D) Depressed fontanelle

Question 8

Parents ask the nurse how their infant developed a Meckel's diverticulum.What condition,will the nurse explain,is present causing this diagnosis?

A) The yolk sac remains connected to the intestine.
B) There is inflammation of the ileocecal valve.
C) A pouch forms when the vitelline duct fails to disappear.
D) There is a weakness in the abdominal wall.

Question 9

The nurse has reviewed dietary restrictions for celiac disease with concerned parents.Which grain will the nurse explain can be eaten with celiac disease?

A) Wheat
B) Oats
C) Barley
D) Rice

Question 10

What is the treatment of choice for a child with intussusception?

A) A barium enema
B) Immediate surgery
C) IV fluids until the spasms subside
D) Gastric lavage

Question 11

A mother reports that her child has been scratching the anal area and complaining of itching.What does the nurse suspect based on this information?

A) Pinworms
B) Giardiasis
C) Ringworm
D) Roundworm

Question 12

The nurse is interviewing parents of an infant with pyloric stenosis.What would the nurse expect the parents to report?

A) Diarrhea
B) Projectile vomiting
C) Poor appetite
D) Constipation

Question 13

Which is the most appropriate intervention for a 3-month-old infant who has gastroesophageal reflux?

A) Position the infant in the crib on his or her abdomen, with the head elevated.
B) Administer medication as ordered to stimulate the pyloric sphincter.
C) Give thin rice cereal with formula before feeding solid foods.
D) Place the infant in an infant seat after feedings.

Question 14

A frightened mother calls the pediatrician's office because her child swallowed dishwashing detergent.What is the most appropriate action?

A) Induce vomiting by giving the child syrup of ipecac.
B) Take the child to the local emergency department.
C) Give the child activated charcoal mixed with juice.
D) Give the child milk to soothe affected mucous membranes.

Question 15

Which finding in a newborn is suggestive of tracheoesophageal fistula?

A) Failure to pass meconium in 24 hours
B) Choking on the first feeding
C) Palpable mass in the sternal area
D) Visible peristalsis across abdomen

Question 16

A mother reports that her 2-year-old child experiences constipation frequently.Which food would the nurse recommend to include in the child's diet?

A) Cooked vegetables
B) Pretzels
C) Whole-grain cereal
D) Yogurt

Question 17

What instruction will the nurse give to parents about preventing the spread and reinfection of pinworms?

A) Keep children's nails short.
B) Dress child in loose-fitting underwear.
C) Clean the bathroom with bleach solution.
D) Wash bed linens in cold water.

Question 18

The nurse is teaching a parent about pyrvinium (Povan).What would be included in regard to potential side effects?

A) Diarrhea
B) Skin rash
C) Red stool
D) Metallic taste

Question 19

A child is brought to the emergency department because he ingested an unknown quantity of acetaminophen (Tylenol).What does the nurse expect this child to receive following gastric lavage?

A) Activated charcoal
B) N-acetylcysteine
C) Vitamin K
D) Syrup of ipecac

Question 20

Why are rapid respirations a possible cause of dehydration?

A) They prevent the child from drinking.
B) They increase circulation, thus increasing urine production.
C) They cause evaporation of fluid on the mucous membranes.
D) They often lead to vomiting.

Question 21

What interventions will the nurse perform when feeding a child with pyloric stenosis?

A) Give a formula thinned with water.
B) Burp the infant before and during feeding.
C) Give the feeding slowly.
D) Refeed if the infant vomits.
E) Position infant on left side after feeding.

Question 22

Which statement made by a parent alerts the nurse to the need for additional education about poison prevention?

A) "I keep the poison control center phone number easily accessible."
B) "All medication is kept out of reach in a locked cabinet."
C) "I keep a bottle of syrup of ipecac handy."
D) "Our garden is free from marigolds."

Question 23

The nurse is caring for an 18-pound child who has had one stool of diarrhea. The nurse knows that the child needs to consume how many milliliters of oral fluid to make up for the fluid loss?

A) 18
B) 36
C) 64
D) 81

Question 24

The nurse is speaking to the parent of a 3-year-old child who has mild diarrhea.What dietary modification would the nurse advise?

A) Soft foods with rice, bananas, toast, and applesauce
B) Small amounts of clear fluids such as gelatin
C) An oral rehydrating solution, such as Pedialyte
D) Chicken soup because it is high in sodium

Question 25

The nurse,assessing an elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR)for an infant with gastroenteritis,recognizes that this confirms the _______________ process that is part of this disease.

Question 26

Which nursing interventions will be implemented for the mother of a 10-month-old infant with nonorganic failure to thrive?

A) Pointing out errors that the nurse observes when the mother is caring for the infant
B) Discussing negative characteristics of the infant with the mother
C) Having the nurse provide as much of the infant's care as possible
D) Teaching the mother about the developmental milestones to expect in the next few months

Question 27

The nurse explains that because _________________ beverages cause diuresis,they are not good choices for fluid replacement in a child who is dehydrated.

Question 28

What assessment(s)would lead a nurse to suspect Hirschsprung's disease in a 1-month-old infant?

A) Ribbon-like stools
B) Fever
C) Failure to thrive
D) Vomiting
E) Diminished peristalsis
F)None of above

Question 29

Following surgery for pyloric stenosis,an infant awoke from anesthesia hungry and crying.What is the most appropriate nursing action?

A) Delay feeding the child for 6 hours.
B) Offer regular formula thinned with water.
C) Give small amounts of regular formula thickened with cereal.
D) Allow 1 ounce of glucose water at frequent intervals.

Question 30

Which assessment would the nurse report to the physician immediately?

A) 2-month-old with a urine output of 150 mL in 24 hours
B) 3-year-old with a urine output of 650 mL in 24 hours
C) 8-year-old with a urine output of over 1000 mL in 24 hours
D) 14-year-old with a urine output of 800 mL in 24 hourse

Question 31

Which statement by a mother may indicate a cause of her son's vitamin C deficiency?

A) "We get our fruits from homemade preserves."
B) "We use milk from our own goats."
C) "We grow all our own vegetables."
D) "We're not big meat eaters."

Question 32

The nurse explains that rickets,a deficiency disease that causes bony deformities,is caused by the inadequate supply of vitamin ______.

Question 33

The nurse is instructing a mother how to administer oral nystatin suspension prescribed to treat thrush.What will the nurse include?

A) Pour the prescribed amount into a nipple and have the infant suck the medication.
B) Squirt the prescribed dose into the back of the mouth and have the infant swallow.
C) Give the medication mixed with a small amount of juice in a bottle.
D) Use a sterile applicator to swab the medication on the oral mucosa.

Question 34

What would the nurse expect to find in a child admitted to the hospital for nonorganic failure to thrive?

A) Cry to be picked up
B) Be limp like a rag doll
C) Be responsive to cuddling
D) Weigh in the 10th percentile for age

Question 35

A 7-month-old infant is admitted to the hospital with a diagnosis of acute gastroenteritis.What will be the nurses's priority goal of the infant's care?

A) Prevent fluid and electrolyte imbalance.
B) Prevent nutritional deficiency.
C) Prevent skin breakdown.
D) Prevent malabsorption.

Question 36

A child is brought into the ED with suspected appendicitis.What signs and symptoms does the nurse expect to assess?

A) Left lower quandrant pain
B) Guarding
C) Rebound tenderness
D) Decreased C-reactive protein
E) Pain on lifting thigh when supine

Question 37

What sign(s)indicate(s)moderate dehydration?

A) 10% weight loss
B) Dry mucous membranes
C) Normal anterior fontanel
D) Increased urinary output
E) Lethargy

Question 38

An infant is admitted to the hospital with severe dehydration.Laboratory results show pH 7.32,PaCO₂ 40,HCO₃- 21.How does the nurse interpret these values?

A) Metabolic acidosis
B) Metabolic alkalosis
C) Respiratory acidosis
D) Respiratory alkalosis

Question 39

Parents have adopted a child with the diagnosis of kwashiorkor.What is most likely to be observed when assessing this child?

A) Hyperactivity
B) White streak in hair
C) Edematous abdomen
D) Slowed growth
E) Thick, oily hair

Question 40

Why are infants more vulnerable to fluid and electrolyte imbalances than adults?

A) They have a smaller surface area than adults in proportion to body weight.
B) Water needs and losses per kilogram are lower than those for adults.
C) A greater percentage of body water in infants is extracellular.
D) Infants have a lower metabolic turnover of water.

Question 41

The nurse reminds parents of a child allergic to cow's milk that they should avoid foods that list ______________ as part of their contents.

Question 42

Hernias are successfully repaired by the surgical operation called a _____________.

Question 43

The nurse explains the medically accepted definition of constipation is fewer than _____ bowel movements in a 2-week period.