The nurse is caring for a patient who is passing bright red blood rectally.The nurse should expect to insert a nasogastric tube to

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Bright red or maroon blood (hematochezia)is usually a sign of a lower GI source of bleeding but can be seen when upper GI bleeding is massive (more than 1000 mL).Melena is shiny,black,foul-smelling stool; it is not present in the stomach.Occult bleeding means that blood is not visible and is detected only by testing the stool with a chemical reagent (guaiac).

The Nurse Is Caring for a Patient Who Is Passing