A nurse in an acute care facility is caring for a toddler.

Exhibits

For each assessment finding below, click to specify if the assessment finding is consistent with Crohn's disease, appendicitis, or intussusception. Each finding may support more than 1 disease process.

Rationale:
A. Inspection: Visual examination of the abdomen is the first step, allowing the nurse to observe contour, skin changes, and symmetry without disturbing underlying structures.

B. Auscultation: Listening for bowel and vascular sounds is performed after inspection and before palpation or percussion to avoid artificially altering bowel activity.

C. Palpation: Palpation is the final step in an abdominal assessment because pressing on the abdomen can alter bowel sounds or cause discomfort. It is performed last to prevent interference with earlier assessment steps.

D. Percussion: Percussion provides information about organ size, fluid, and gas presence and is performed after auscultation but before palpation to avoid disturbing bowel sounds.

Rationale:
A. "Purchasing more expensive items will improve quality health outcomes.": Higher cost does not necessarily correlate with better outcomes. Cost-effectiveness focuses on achieving optimal results while minimizing unnecessary expenses, not simply purchasing pricier items.

B. "Preventing readmissions will decrease overutilization of services.": Reducing hospital readmissions prevents unnecessary use of healthcare resources, lowers costs, and improves patient outcomes. Effective discharge planning, patient education, and follow-up care are strategies that support cost-effective care.

C. "Planning a 10-year budget will ensure cost-effective care.": Long-term budgeting aids financial planning but does not directly guarantee cost-effective care. Cost-effectiveness is achieved by evaluating interventions, resource utilization, and outcomes continuously.

D. "Hiring travel nurses is an effective method of cost containment.": Travel nurses typically have higher hourly rates than permanent staff, which can increase costs. While they provide staffing flexibility, this strategy is not considered cost-effective for routine staffing needs.