The emergency department nurse admits an adolescent who is complaining of abdominal pain and denies pregnancy.Assessment findings include a distended,pregnant-appearing abdomen and fetal heart tones.How does the nurse interpret these contradictory findings?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Denial of pregnancy until late in gestation is not uncommon in adolescence, and it is possible that the adolescent may not have realized or acknowledged the pregnancy. However, further testing and assessment would be necessary to rule out any other potential causes for the distended abdomen and fetal heart tones. Mental illness and developmental delay are not necessarily the most likely explanations without further assessment and evaluation.

The Emergency Department Nurse Admits an Adolescent Who Is Complaining