While inspecting a patient's stool, a nurse notices a small amount of black, tarry blood with a distinctive old-blood odor that appears to have been partially digested. The nurse identifies this type of blood as

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Melena is a medical term used to describe black, tarry, and partially digested blood that appears in the stool. It has a distinct old-blood odor and indicates bleeding from the upper gastrointestinal tract. Occult blood refers to hidden blood in the stool that cannot be seen with the naked eye, and frank blood refers to bright red blood that can be seen in the stool. Steatorrhea is the medical term for stool that is high in fat content and appears pale, oily, and foul-smelling.

While Inspecting a Patient's Stool, a Nurse Notices a Small