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 C

Explanation

The nurse should report the situation to the hospital ethics committee, which is used to resolve ethical dilemmas in the health care setting. The hospital ethics committee can help the nurse and the client’s family reach a consensus on the best course of action for the client.

Choice A is wrong because a clinical education specialist is not directly involved in the client’s care and does not have the authority to intervene in ethical issues.

Choice B is wrong because a quality improvement committee is responsible for monitoring and evaluating the quality of care and services provided by the facility, not for addressing ethical conflicts.

Choice D is wrong because a hospital administrator is not usually involved in the clinical decision-making process and may not have the expertise or time to deal with ethical issues.

A. A client who has a family history of breast cancer is scheduled for a mammogram. B. A client who has heart failure is scheduled for an echocardiogram. C. A client who is asymptomatic is not scheduled for a series of tests. D. A client is scheduled to receive an influenza vaccination.

Correct Answer is A

Explanation

This is an example of secondary prevention, which is the action taken to stop the progress of the disease at the initial stage and prevent complications. An echocardiogram can help diagnose the severity and cause of heart failure and guide the treatment plan.

A client who has a family history of breast cancer and is scheduled for a mammogram is an example of secondary prevention. Secondary prevention is early detection of a disease before it progresses. Secondary prevention can include screenings and other forms of diagnostic tests.

This is an example of tertiary prevention, which is the action taken to stop the progress of the disease at the initial stage and prevent complication. An echocardiogram can help diagnose the severity and cause of heart failure and guide the treatment plan.

Choice C is wrong because it is not an example of any level of prevention.

A client who is asymptomatic is not scheduled for a series of tests because there is no indication of any disease or risk factor.

Choice D is wrong because it is an example of primary prevention, which is the action taken to prevent the development of disease.

A client who is scheduled to receive an influenza vaccination is protected from getting infected by the virus and developing flu-related complications.

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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

A nurse is caring for a client whose family is in a state of disagreement over the care of their family member. The nurse should report the situation to which of the following facility personnel?

Correct Answer is C

Explanation

A charge nurse is providing an in-service to a group of nurses on the different levels of illness prevention. The nurse should include which of the following as an example of secondary prevention?

Correct Answer is A

Explanation

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