Four hours after major abdominal surgery, the nurse notes that the patient does not have any bowel sounds. What is the appropriate action for the nurse to take?

Provide meticulous oral care and allow the patient to have ice chips for dry mouth.

Notify the surgeon immediately and prepare the patient for emergency surgery.

Keep the patient NPO and document the finding in the patient’s medical record.

Allow the patient to have clear liquids as tolerated to help bowel function return.

Answer and Explanation

The Correct Answer is C

Choice A rationale:

While providing meticulous oral care and allowing ice chips for dry mouth can promote comfort, it does not address the primary concern of absent bowel sounds.

Ice chips could potentially stimulate bowel activity, but this is not a reliable or recommended method for managing absent bowel sounds in the immediate postoperative period.

It's essential to prioritize actions that assess and address the potential causes of absent bowel sounds, as they can indicate serious complications.

Choice B rationale:

Notifying the surgeon immediately and preparing for emergency surgery is not the appropriate first course of action in this situation.

Emergency surgery would be considered only if there were clear signs of a life-threatening complication, such as bowel perforation or peritonitis.

These complications would typically present with additional symptoms such as severe abdominal pain, fever, and hemodynamic instability.

Absent bowel sounds alone, without other concerning signs, do not warrant immediate surgical intervention.

Choice D rationale:

Allowing the patient to have clear liquids as tolerated is not appropriate when bowel sounds are absent. Introducing oral intake before bowel function has returned can increase the risk of nausea, vomiting, and aspiration.

It's crucial to wait for the return of bowel sounds before initiating oral intake to ensure proper digestion and minimize complications.

Choice C rationale:

Keeping the patient NPO (nothing by mouth) is the most appropriate action when bowel sounds are absent after major abdominal surgery.

This allows the bowel to rest and recover from the surgical manipulation.

It also prevents potential complications such as aspiration and nausea/vomiting that could arise from premature oral intake.

Documenting the absence of bowel sounds in the patient's medical record is essential for communication among healthcare providers and for monitoring the patient's progress.

This documentation provides a clear record of the patient's clinical status and facilitates appropriate decision-making regarding further interventions.

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Correct Answer is ["A","B","C"]

Explanation

Choice A rationale:

Splinting the incision when coughing helps to minimize pain and discomfort, which can encourage deeper breathing and coughing. This is essential because deep breathing and coughing help to clear secretions from the lungs and prevent atelectasis (collapse of lung tissue).

Steps for splinting the incision:

Place a pillow or folded towel over the incision site.

Instruct the patient to apply gentle pressure to the pillow or towel with their hands when coughing or deep breathing. Encourage the patient to relax their abdominal muscles during coughing and deep breathing exercises.

Choice B rationale:

Sitting up in a chair and ambulating promote lung expansion and help to mobilize secretions. This is because gravity assists in moving secretions from the smaller airways into the larger airways, where they can be more easily coughed up.

Additional benefits of sitting up and ambulating: Improved circulation

Decreased risk of pneumonia Enhanced recovery from surgery Choice C rationale:

Using an incentive spirometer hourly helps to increase lung capacity and prevent atelectasis. The device encourages the patient to take slow, deep breaths, which helps to inflate the alveoli (air sacs) in the lungs.

Instructions for using an incentive spirometer:

Sit upright in a chair or bed.

Place the mouthpiece of the spirometer in your mouth and seal your lips around it.

Inhale slowly and deeply through the mouthpiece, aiming to raise the piston inside the device as high as possible. Hold your breath for 3-5 seconds.

Exhale slowly and completely through the mouthpiece.

Repeat the process 10-15 times per hour, or as instructed by your healthcare provider.

A. A superficial 3-inch x 3-inch abrasion has no active bleeding, drainage, or debris. B. The 4-inch incision edges are well approximated with intact sutures. C. An ulcerated 3-inch x 1-inch area has thick yellow slough present in the center. D. The incision is 5 inches long x 1 inch deep x 1 inch wide with granulation tissue present.

Correct Answer is B

Explanation

Choice A rationale:

A superficial abrasion heals by secondary intention, not primary intention.

In secondary intention healing, the wound is left open to heal from the inside out. This type of healing is typically slower and results in more scar tissue formation.

The absence of active bleeding, drainage, or debris is a positive sign, but it does not guarantee that the wound is healing by primary intention.

Choice C rationale:

The presence of thick yellow slough indicates that the wound is infected and not healing properly. This is a sign of delayed healing, not primary intention healing.

Choice D rationale:

The presence of granulation tissue is a sign of healing, but it does not indicate whether the wound is healing by primary or secondary intention.

Granulation tissue is a type of new tissue that forms during the healing process. It is composed of blood vessels, collagen, and fibroblasts.

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Four hours after major abdominal surgery, the nurse notes that the patient does not have any bowel sounds. What is the appropriate action for the nurse to take?

Nursing Test Bank

Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams

The nurse is caring for a patient with shallow respirations and diminished breath sounds following abdominal surgery yesterday.Which are the appropriate actions of the nurse? (Select all that apply.)

Correct Answer is ["A","B","C"]

Explanation

Which assessment charting indicates that the wound is healing by primary intention?

Correct Answer is B

Explanation

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