A client presents with a possible bowel obstruction, and the nurse completes a detailed abdominal assessment. Which of the following clinical manifestations are consistent with a large bowel obstruction? (Select all that apply).

- Step 1: Identify the required dose in grams. The client is scheduled to receive 30 grams of lactulose.

- Step 2: Identify the concentration of the available solution. The available solution contains 5 grams of lactulose per 10 mL.

- Step 3: Calculate the volume of solution needed to deliver the required dose. We can set up a proportion to solve for this:

- 5 grams is to 10 mL as 30 grams is to X mL.

- In other words, 5 g : 10 mL = 30 g : X mL.

- Step 4: Solve for X using cross-multiplication and division:

- Cross-multiplication gives us: 5 g × X mL = 30 g × 10 mL.

- Simplifying this gives us: 5X = 300.

- Dividing both sides by 5 gives us: X = 300 ÷ 5.

- Calculating the division gives us: X = 60.

60 mL of the lactulose solution should be poured into the medication cup to administer the required dose of 30 grams.

Choice A reason: Bradycardia, which is a slower than normal heart rate, is not a common finding associated with renal calculi. Renal calculi, or kidney stones, typically cause symptoms related to the urinary system rather than directly affecting the heart rate.

Choice B reason: Bradypnea, or abnormally slow breathing, is also not a typical symptom of renal calculi. Patients with kidney stones may experience changes in urination patterns, such as frequency or urgency, but not typically changes in respiratory rate.

Choice C reason: Severe pain is indeed the most common symptom associated with renal calculi. This pain, known as renal colic, is often sudden in onset, very severe, and may radiate from the back down to the lower abdomen or groin. The pain is caused by the stone moving into the ureter and causing a blockage, which leads to increased pressure and stretching of the kidney or ureter. Renal calculi can cause a range of symptoms, with severe pain being the most prominent and often the first symptom that leads individuals to seek medical care. The pain is typically very intense and can be accompanied by other symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and hematuria (blood in the urine).

Choice D reason: Nocturia, or frequent urination at night, can be a symptom of renal calculi, especially if the stones affect the bladder or cause urinary tract infections. However, the most characteristic symptom of renal calculi is severe pain, not necessarily nocturia.