a client with a history of gastric ulcer suddenly complains of a sharp severe pain in the mid epigastric area which then spreads over the entire abdom
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Nursing Elites

ATI RN

Gastrointestinal System Nursing Exam Questions

1. A client with a history of gastric ulcer suddenly complains of a sharp-severe pain in the mid epigastric area, which then spreads over the entire abdomen. The client’s abdomen is rigid and board-like to palpation, and the client obtains most comfort from lying in the knee-chest position. The nurse calls the physician immediately suspecting that the client is experiencing which of the following complications of peptic ulcer disease?

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The signs and symptoms described in the question are consistent with perforation of the ulcer, which then progresses to peritonitis if the perforation is large enough. The client with intestinal obstruction most likely would complain of abdominal pain, distension, and nausea and vomiting. The client with hemorrhage would be vomiting blood or coffee-ground-like material or would be expelling black, tarry, or bloody stools. Intractability is a term that refers to continued symptoms of a disease process, despite ongoing medical treatment.

2. Donald is a 61 y.o. man with diverticulitis. Diverticulitis is characterized by:

Correct answer: D

Rationale: Diverticulitis is characterized by crampy lower left quadrant pain and a low-grade fever.

3. Kevin has a history of peptic ulcer disease and vomits coffee-ground emesis. What does this indicate?

Correct answer: C

Rationale: Coffee-ground emesis indicates that the gastric bleeding occurred 2 hours earlier.

4. The nurse is assessing for stoma prolapse in a client with a colostomy. The nurse would observe which of the following if stoma prolapse occurred?

Correct answer: D

Rationale: A protruding stoma is indicative of stoma prolapse, which occurs when the bowel protrudes excessively through the stoma.

5. Which of the following factors should be the main focus of nursing management for a client hospitalized for cholecystitis?

Correct answer: B

Rationale: Assessment for complications should be the main focus of nursing management for a client hospitalized for cholecystitis.

Similar Questions

A client’s ulcerative colitis symptoms have been present for longer than 1 week. The nurse recognizes that the client should be assessed carefully for signs of which of the following complications?
Which of the following definitions best describes gastritis?
When planning care for a client with ulcerative colitis who is experiencing symptoms, which client care activities can the nurse appropriately delegate to a unlicensed assistant?
Arthur has a family history of colon cancer and is scheduled to have a sigmoidoscopy. He is crying as he tells you, “I know that I have colon cancer, too.” Which response is most therapeutic?
When teaching a community group about measures to prevent colon cancer, which instruction should the nurse include?

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