A nurse is planning care for a client who has a prescription for a bowel-training program following a spinal cord injury.
Which of the following actions should the nurse include in the plan of care?
Encourage a maximum fluid intake of 1,500 mL per day.
Increase the amount of refined grains in the client’s diet.
Provide the client with a cold drink prior to defecation.
Administer a cathartic suppository 30 min prior to scheduled defecation times.
The Correct Answer is D
This is because a cathartic suppository stimulates the nerve endings in the rectum, causing a contraction of the bowel and facilitating defecation. This is especially helpful for clients who have an upper motor neuron or areflexic bowel, which means they have lost the ability to feel when the rectum is full and have a tight anal sphincter muscle. A bowel program is a way of controlling or moving the bowels after a spinal cord injury, which may affect normal bowel function depending on the spinal level involved. A bowel program aims to achieve regular bowel movements, prevent constipation or impaction, and avoid accidents.
Choice A is wrong because encouraging a maximum fluid intake of 1,500 mL per day is not enough to prevent constipation and promote bowel health. A fluid intake of at least 2,000 mL per day is recommended for most adults.
Choice B is wrong because increasing the amount of refined grains in the client’s diet can worsen constipation and reduce stool bulk.
Refined grains are low in fiber, which is essential for normal bowel function. A high-fiber diet of at least 20 to 35 grams per day is advised for clients with spinal cord injuries.
Choice C is wrong because providing the client with a cold drink prior to defecation can have the opposite effect of stimulating the bowel.
Cold drinks can slow down the digestive process and reduce peristalsis, which is the movement of food through the intestines. Warm or hot drinks can help stimulate the bowel and increase peristalsis.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is A
Explanation
This is because glass ampules can leave small shards of glass in the solution, which can be harmful if injected into the client. A filter needle has a small mesh that traps any glass particles and prevents them from entering the syringe.
Choice B is wrong because the nurse should break the neck of the ampule away from the body to avoid injury from the glass.
Choice C is wrong because the nurse should use a different needle to inject the client after withdrawing the medication with a filter needle. This is to prevent contamination and reduce pain for the client.
Choice D is wrong because the nurse should dispose of the ampule in a sharps container, not in the trash can. This is to prevent injury and infection from the broken glass.
Correct Answer is B
Explanation
A vertebroplasty is a procedure that injects cement into a fractured vertebra to help relieve pain and stabilize the spine. The recovery time for this procedure is usually short and the complications are rare.
Therefore, this client is most likely to be stable and ready for early discharge.
Choice A is wrong because a client who is receiving heparin for deep-vein thrombosis (DVT) needs close monitoring of their blood levels and clotting factors. Heparin is a blood thinner that prevents the clots from getting bigger or breaking loose and traveling to the lungs, which can cause a life-threatening condition called pulmonary embolism (PE).
This client is not a good candidate for early discharge.
Choice C is wrong because a client who has cancer and a sealed implant for radiation therapy needs to be isolated in a special room to prevent exposure of others to radiation. A sealed implant is a smallholder that contains a radioactive source that is placed inside or near the tumor to deliver high doses of radiation. This type of internal radiation therapy, also called brachytherapy, can last from several minutes to several days, depending on the type and dose of the radioactive source.
This client is not a good candidate for early discharge.
Choice D is wrong because a client who has COPD and a respiratory rate of 44/min has signs of respiratory distress and possible hypoxemia (low oxygen levels in the blood).
COP
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