Nursing Elites

1. The nurse is caring for a client following a Billroth II procedure. On review of the post-operative orders, which of the following, if prescribed, would the nurse question and verify?

• A. Irrigating the nasogastric tube
• B. Coughing a deep breathing exercises
• C. Leg exercises
• D. Early ambulation

Correct answer: A

Rationale: Irrigating the nasogastric tube is typically not recommended after a Billroth II procedure unless specifically ordered by a physician due to the risk of disrupting the surgical site.

2. A nurse orientee is preparing to insert a nasogastric tube, and a nurse educator is observing the procedure. Which of the following supplies if obtained by the nurse orientee would indicate a need for further education regarding this procedure?

• A. Half-inch or one-inch tape
• B. Oil-soluble lubricant
• C. A glass of tap water with a straw
• D. A 50-mL catheter tip syringe

Correct answer: B

Rationale: Water-soluble lubricant is used to lubricate 3 to 4 inches of the tube at the insertion end. An oil lubricant is not used because if the tube accidentally goes into the bronchus, pneumonia can develop. Half-inch tape is used to secure the tube after the correct placement is verified. A 50-mL catheter tip syringe is used to aspirate gastric contents to confirm placement. The client will be asked to take a sip of water through a straw to help with the passage of the tube.

3. The nurse has inserted a nasogastric tube to the level of the oropharynx and has repositioned the client’s head in a flexed-forward position. The client has been asked to begin swallowing. The nurse starts slowly to advance the nasogastric tube with each swallow. The client begins to cough, gag, and choke. Which nursing action would least likely result in proper tube insertion and promote client relaxation?

• A. Continuing to advance the tube to the desired distance
• B. Pulling the tube back slightly
• C. Checking the back of the pharynx using a tongue blade and flashlight.
• D. Instructing the client to breathe slowly and take sips of water.

Correct answer: A

Rationale: As the nasogastric tube is passed through the oropharynx, the gag reflex is stimulated, which may cause coughing, gagging, or choking. Instead of passing through to the esophagus, the nasogastric tube may coil around itself in the oropharynx, or it may enter the larynx and obstruct the airway, pulling the tube back slightly will remove it from the larynx; advancing the tube might position it in the trachea. Swallowing closes the epiglottis over the trachea and helps move the tube into the esophagus. Slow breathing helps the client relax to reduce the gag response. The nurse should check the back of the client’s throat to note if the tube has coiled. The tube may be advanced after the client relaxes.

4. Which of the following conditions is most likely to directly cause peritonitis?

• A. Cholelithiasis
• B. Gastritis
• C. Perforated ulcer
• D. Incarcerated hernia

Correct answer: C

Rationale: A perforated ulcer is most likely to directly cause peritonitis due to the leakage of gastric contents into the peritoneal cavity.

5. A nurse is inserting a nasogastric tube in an adult client. During the procedure, the client begins to cough and has difficulty breathing. Which of the following is the most appropriate nursing action?

• A. Remove the tube and reinsert when the respiratory distress subsides.
• B. Pull back on the tube and wait until the respiratory distress subsides.
• C. Quickly insert the tube.
• D. Notify the physician immediately.

Correct answer: B

Rationale: During the insertion of a nasogastric tube, if the client experiences difficulty breathing or any respiratory distress, withdraw the tube slightly, stop the tube advancement, and wait until the distress subsides. Options 1 and 4 are unnecessary. Quickly inserting the tube is not an appropriate action because, in this situation, it may be likely that the tube has entered the bronchus.

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