A nurse is caring for a client who is taking cimetidine. Which of the following client statements indicates to the nurse that the cimetidine treatment has been effective? (Select all that apply.)

A. "I feel so much better after eating."This is most consistent with a duodenal ulcer, where pain is relieved by food (but often returns 2–3 hours later). Gastric ulcers, on the other hand, may worsen with eating.

B. "The pain is worse after I eat a meal high in fat."Fatty food intolerance and postprandial pain are more characteristic of gallbladder disease (cholelithiasis/cholecystitis), not PUD.

C. "The pain radiates down to my lower back."Pain radiating to the back is more typical of pancreatitis, not PUD.

D. "My pain is relieved by having a bowel movement."Relief of abdominal pain with a bowel movement suggests irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), not PUD.

The nurse should measure the gastric residual before administering a feeding to identify delayed gastric emptying. Gastric residual refers to the volume of formula or contents remaining in the stomach from the previous feeding. Measuring gastric residual helps assess how well the client's stomach is emptying and can indicate if there is delayed gastric emptying.

By measuring gastric residual, the nurse can:

● Determine if the stomach has adequately emptied from the previous feeding. ● Assess the client's tolerance to enteral feedings.

● Detect signs of delayed gastric emptying, which can be indicative of gastrointestinal motility issues or other complications.

● Adjust the feeding rate or make other modifications to the enteral feeding plan based on the amount of residual volume.

Confirming the placement of the NG tube is typically done using other methods, such as an X-ray, pH testing, or auscultation of air insufflation. Gastric residual measurement primarily serves the purpose of assessing gastric emptying, rather than confirming tube placement.

While electrolyte imbalances can be monitored in the overall care of a client receiving enteral feedings, measuring gastric residual specifically focuses on assessing gastric emptying and feeding tolerance, rather than determining the client's electrolyte balance.

Removing gastric acid that might cause dyspepsia is not the primary purpose of measuring gastric residual. Gastric residual measurement aims to evaluate the volume of the previous feeding and assess gastric emptying, rather than focusing on dyspepsia specifically.