A nurse is assessing a client who had a colostomy 24 hrs ago. Which of the following findings is the nurse's priority?
The stoma appears dark purple in color.
The colostomy has had no output.
The client refuses to look at the colostomy.
The client reports a pain level of 6 on a scale from 0 to 10
The Correct Answer is A
A. The stoma appears dark purple in color. This is a priority finding, as it may indicate impaired circulation or necrosis of the stoma tissue. A healthy stoma should appear pink or red and moist. A dark purple or black color requires immediate evaluation.
B. The colostomy has had no output. While it is important to monitor output, it is not unusual for a new colostomy to have minimal or no output in the first 24–48 hours post-op as bowel function returns.
C. The client refuses to look at the colostomy. This is a psychosocial concern and may indicate body image issues or denial, but it is not the most urgent issue in the immediate postoperative period.
D. The client reports a pain level of 6 on a scale from 0 to 10. Pain management is important, but a pain level of 6, while needing intervention, does not take priority over a potential vascular compromise of the stoma.
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Related Questions
Correct Answer is C
Explanation
A. "You will feel your baby moving within the next month." Fetal movement, or quickening, is typically felt between 16 and 20 weeks of gestation. At 9 weeks, it is too early for the client to detect fetal movement.
B. "Hormone shifts often cause vulvar itching." Vulvar itching is not a common or expected symptom of early pregnancy and may indicate an infection, such as a yeast infection, rather than a normal hormonal change.
C. "You should consume at least 3 liters of fluid each day." Adequate hydration is essential during pregnancy to support increased blood volume, amniotic fluid, and metabolic processes. A daily intake of about 3 liters of fluid helps prevent dehydration and constipation.
D. “Headaches are expected throughout pregnancy." While headaches can occur, especially in the first trimester due to hormonal changes, persistent or severe headaches may indicate complications like preeclampsia and should not be considered a normal, ongoing expectation.
Correct Answer is B
Explanation
A. "Morphine 3.0 mg sub q every 4 hr PRN for pain." Including a trailing zero (3.0 mg) is considered unsafe and is discouraged in medication documentation. It increases the risk of a tenfold overdose if the decimal is missed.
B. "Morphine 3 mg subcutaneous every 4 hr PRN for pain." This entry uses the correct dosage format without a trailing zero, the full term "subcutaneous" instead of abbreviations, and proper medical terminology. It adheres to safe documentation practices as per The Joint Commission guidelines.
C. "Morphine 3 mg SC q 4 hr PRN for pain." The abbreviation “SC” is considered unsafe and prone to misinterpretation. Also, "q" for "every" is discouraged in clinical documentation due to potential misreading and error.
D. "Morphine 3 mg SQ every 4 hr PRN for pain." The abbreviation “SQ” can be misinterpreted or mistaken for “5 every” or other terms. Safe practice requires spelling out “subcutaneous” to prevent errors in medication administration.
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