A nurse is preparing to collect a specimen from a client for a guaiac test. The client asks what the test will detect in his stool. Which of the following responses should the nurse make?

b. Paralytic ileus: Absence of bowel sounds, abdominal distention, and no passage of flatus are characteristic signs of paralytic ileus, which is a temporary impairment of bowel motility following surgery.

c. Health care-associated Clostridium difficile: Clostridium difficile infection is associated with diarrhea, abdominal pain, and fever. The absence of bowel sounds and abdominal distention is not consistent with C. difficile infection.

d. Fecal impaction: Fecal impaction is characterized by a blockage of hardened stool in the

rectum or colon, leading to difficulty passing stool. It may cause abdominal discomfort, but it does not typically present with the absence of bowel sounds and abdominal distention seen in paralytic ileus.

a. Urinary retention: Dark amber, cloudy, and malodorous urine is not typically associated with urinary retention. Urinary retention usually results in a lower-than-normal urine output.

b. Urinary incontinence: Incontinence refers to the inability to control urine flow and does not directly cause changes in urine color, clarity, or odor.

c. Urinary frequency: Increased frequency of urination is not typically associated with dark amber, cloudy, and malodorous urine.

d. Urinary tract infection (UTI): Dark amber, cloudy, and foul-smelling urine are common signs of a urinary tract infection. The infection causes changes in the appearance and odor of urine due to the presence of bacteria and inflammatory cells.