During the assessment of a postoperative patient's bowel sounds, the nurse auscultates absent sounds over all four abdominal quadrants. The nurse realizes this finding could indicate what health problem?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Absent bowel sounds in all four abdominal quadrants is a classic sign of paralytic ileus, which is a condition in which there is a disruption in the normal propulsive contractions of the bowel, leading to a functional bowel obstruction.

During the Assessment of a Postoperative Patient's Bowel Sounds, the Nurse