The nurse is caring for a client on the third day following abdominal surgery and assesses the absence of bowel sounds, abdominal distention, and the client passing no flatus. These findings indicate the client is experiencing which of the following postoperative complications?
Fecal impaction
Incisional infection
Health care-associated Clostridium difficile
Paralytic ileus
The Correct Answer is D
Choice A reason: Fecal impaction typically presents with the inability to pass stool and may not be associated with the absence of bowel sounds.
Choice B reason: Incisional infection is usually indicated by localized redness, warmth, and possible discharge, not necessarily by the absence of bowel sounds or flatus.
Choice C reason: Health care-associated Clostridium difficile often presents with diarrhea, not the absence of bowel sounds or flatus.
Choice D reason: Paralytic ileus is characterized by impaired intestinal motility and transit, absence of the passage of flatus, diminished bowel sounds, abdominal distension, and intestinal dilatation, fitting the symptoms described.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is A
Explanation
Choice A reason: The first step should always be to assess the patient's physical state to rule out any immediate life-threatening conditions before proceeding with psychiatric interventions.
Choice B reason: Administering medication may be necessary, but it should not precede an assessment of the patient's vital signs.
Choice C reason: While instructing the patient to sit and breathe deeply can help alleviate symptoms of anxiety, it is not the first action to take before assessing the patient's vital signs.
Choice D reason: Imagery exercises can be helpful for managing anxiety, but they are not the priority before ensuring the patient's physiological stability.
Correct Answer is C
Explanation
Choice A reason: An illusion is a misinterpretation of a real external stimulus, which is not the case here as there is no snake.
Choice B reason: Attention-getting behavior is a possibility, but given that Mr. G is specifically referencing a snake that isn't there, it suggests a hallucination.
Choice C reason: A hallucination is a sensory perception in the absence of external stimuli, which fits Mr. G's description of seeing a snake that isn't there.
Choice D reason: A delusion is a firmly held false belief; while Mr. G may have this, the immediate experience he's describing is a hallucination, not a delusion.
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