A nurse is collecting data from a client who has gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and reports having heartburn every night. Which of the following actions should the nurse identify as a contributing factor to the client’s heartburn?
Drinking orange juice regularly
Eating dinner early in the evening
Consuming low-fat meats
Sleeping on a large wedge-style pillow
The Correct Answer is A
Choice A: Drinking orange juice regularly. This is a contributing factor to the client’s heartburn because orange juice is acidic and can irritate the esophageal mucosa and lower esophageal sphincter, causing reflux of gastric contents into the esophagus.
Choice B: Eating dinner early in the evening. This is not a contributing factor to the client’s heartburn, but rather a recommended action for the client to prevent heartburn. The client should avoid eating within 3 hours of bedtime to allow for gastric emptying and reduce the risk of reflux.
Choice C: Consuming low-fat meats. This is not a contributing factor to the client’s heartburn, but rather a recommended action for the client to prevent heartburn. The client should avoid high-fat foods, which can delay gastric emptying and increase intra-abdominal pressure, leading to reflux.
Choice D: Sleeping on a large wedge-style pillow. This is not a contributing factor to the client’s heartburn, but rather a recommended action for the client to prevent heartburn. The client should elevate the head of their bed or use a wedge pillow to create an incline that prevents gastric contents from flowing back into the esophagus.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is D
Explanation
Choice A: Bradycardia. This is not a manifestation of gastrointestinal perforation, but rather a sign of vagal stimulation, which can occur in response to gastric distension, vomiting, or suctioning. Vagal stimulation can slow down the heart rate and lower the blood pressure.
Choice B: Hyperactive bowel sounds. This is not a manifestation of gastrointestinal perforation, but rather a sign of increased intestinal motility, which can occur in response to inflammation, infection, or irritation of the gastrointestinal tract. Hyperactive bowel sounds are loud, high-pitched, and frequent.
Choice C: Report of epigastric fullness. This is not a manifestation of gastrointestinal perforation, but rather a sign of delayed gastric emptying, which can occur in response to gastric outlet obstruction, gastroparesis, or pyloric stenosis. Epigastric fullness is a feeling of pressure or discomfort in the upper abdomen after eating.
Choice D: Severe upper abdominal pain. This is a manifestation of gastrointestinal perforation, which is a life-threatening complication of peptic ulcer disease. Peptic ulcer disease is a condition that causes erosion and ulceration of the mucosal lining of the stomach or duodenum. If the ulcer penetrates through the wall of the gastrointestinal tract, it can cause perforation, which is a hole that allows gastric contents to leak into the peritoneal cavity. This can cause peritonitis, which is an inflammation and infection of the peritoneum. Peritonitis can cause severe upper abdominal pain, which may radiate to the shoulder or back. The pain may be sudden, sharp, and constant.
Correct Answer is C
Explanation
Choice A: Weak pulse. This is not a manifestation that the nurse should expect to find in a client who has advanced cirrhosis. A weak pulse may indicate hypovolemia, shock, or cardiac dysfunction, but it is not directly related to liver disease.
Choice B: Dark colored stools. This is not a manifestation that the nurse should expect to find in a client who has advanced cirrhosis. Dark colored stools may indicate bleeding in the upper gastrointestinal tract, such as from esophageal varices or peptic ulcers, but they are not specific to liver disease.
Choice C: Spider angioma. This is a manifestation that the nurse should expect to find in a client who has advanced cirrhosis, which is a chronic liver disease that causes scarring and impaired liver function. Spider angioma is a type of vascular lesion that appears as a red spot with radiating branches on the skin, usually on the face, neck, chest, or upper arms. It is caused by increased estrogen levels due to reduced liver metabolism of hormones.
Choice D: Increased body hair. This is not a manifestation that the nurse should expect to find in a client who has advanced cirrhosis. Increased body hair may indicate hypertrichosis, which is excessive hair growth due to genetic, hormonal, or metabolic factors, but it is not related to liver disease.
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