The nurse is conducting an assessment on a client who is 36 hours postoperative following an appendectomy. During the assessment, the nurse is unable to hear any bowel sounds. The client denies passing flatus (gas). Given this information, which action is most appropriate by the nurse?

Encouraging the client to increase intake of foods that contain high fat to increase GI motility.

Encouraging the client to increase solid food intake to promote peristalsis.

Encouraging the client to increase intake of foods that contain fiber.

Withholding food and oral fluids until intestinal mobility has returned.

Answer and Explanation

The Correct Answer is D

Withholding food and oral fluids until intestinal mobility has returned. This is because the client may have postoperative ileus (POI), which is a reduction of gastrointestinal motility after abdominal surgery. POI is characterized by abdominal distension, lack of bowel sounds, accumulation of gas and fluids in the bowel, and delayed passage of flatus and stools.

Giving food and fluids to a client with POI may worsen the condition and cause complications.

Choice A is wrong because high fat foods may slow down GI motility and increase the risk of constipation.

Choice B is wrong because solid food intake may also aggravate POI and cause abdominal discomfort.

Choice C is wrong because fiber intake may increase gas production and distension in the bowel. The nurse should auscultate the abdomen for bowel sounds, and if they are present, or the client reports passing flatus, clear fluids can commence, and aperients can be administered. However, bowel sounds are not a reliable indicator of the end of POI, as they may not be associated with the time of first flatus.

Therefore, withholding food and oral fluids until intestinal mobility has returned is the most appropriate action by the nurse.

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Correct Answer is D

Explanation

The nurse has a duty to protect the patient’s rights and well-being, and to report any signs of abuse or neglect. Financial abuse is defined as someone illegally or improperly using an elder’s money or belongings for their own personal use. It is a common form of elder abuse and can have serious consequences for the victim’s physical and mental health.

The nurse should not assume that the son has the patient’s best interest in mind (choice A), as this may not be the case.

The nurse should not ignore the situation or dismiss it as a non-clinical issue (choice B), as this would violate the nurse’s ethical and legal obligations. The nurse should not notify the primary care physician that the patient can no longer care for himself (choice C), as this may not be true and may infringe on the patient’s autonomy and dignity.

The nurse should respect the patient’s wishes and help him to exercise his rights and choices.

The nurse should also provide support and resources to the patient, such as counselling, legal aid, or social services.

A. The teenager is probably difficult for a single mother to manage, so the family will be referred to social services. B. Further assessment needs to be done to determine if the family needs assistance. C. The mother needs assistance to cope with the stress of raising a teenager on her own. D. The mother will need financial support while she takes off work to care for her son.

Correct Answer is B

Explanation

This is because the nurse should not make assumptions about the family’s functionality based on their history or situation, but rather gather more information to identify their strengths and needs.

Choice A is wrong because it implies that the teenager is a problem and the mother is incapable of managing him, which is disrespectful and judgmental.

Choice C is wrong because it assumes that the mother is stressed and needs coping skills, which may not be true.

Choice D is wrong because it suggests that the mother is financially dependent on her son, which is not relevant to the question.

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The nurse is conducting an assessment on a client who is 36 hours postoperative following an appendectomy. During the assessment, the nurse is unable to hear any bowel sounds. The client denies passing flatus (gas). Given this information, which action is most appropriate by the nurse?

Nursing Test Bank

Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams

Correct Answer is D

Explanation

The RN learns that the father of a teenage client was killed in a car accident when he was a baby, and his mother has raised him on her own. How should the nurse interpret this family’s functionality?

Correct Answer is B

Explanation

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