ATI LPN
Brunner & Suddarth's Textbook of Medical-Surgical Nursing 14e (Hinkle 2017)
Chapter 43 : Assessment of Digestive and Gastrointestinal Function Questions
Question 1 of 5
A nurse is caring for an 83-year-old patient who is being assessed for recurrent and intractable nausea. What age-related change to the GI system may be a contributor to the patient's health complaint?
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Delayed gastric emptying occurs in older adults and may contribute to nausea. Changes to the small intestine and decreased saliva production would be less likely to contribute to nausea. Loss of esophageal sphincter function is pathologic and is not considered an age-related change.
Question 2 of 5
A patient has been experiencing significant psychosocial stress in recent weeks. The nurse is aware of the hormonal effects of stress, including norepinephrine release. Release of this substance would have what effect on the patient's gastrointestinal function?
Correct Answer: A,B,D
Rationale: Norepinephrine generally decreases GI motility and secretions, but increases muscle tone of sphincters. Norepinephrine does not increase the release of enzymes.
Question 3 of 5
A patient with cystic fibrosis takes pancreatic enzyme replacements on a regular basis. The patient's intake of trypsin facilitates what aspect of GI function?
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Trypsin facilitates the digestion of proteins. It does not influence vitamin D synthesis, the digestion of fats, or peristalsis.
Question 4 of 5
The nurse is caring for a patient who has a diagnosis of AIDS. Inspection of the patient's mouth reveals the new presence of white lesions on the patient's oral mucosa. What is the nurse's most appropriate response?
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The nurse should inform the primary care provider of this abnormal finding in the patient's oral cavity, since it necessitates medical treatment. It would be inappropriate to try to remove skin lesions from a patient's mouth and salt water will not resolve this problem, which is likely due to candidiasis. A dietitian referral is unnecessary.
Question 5 of 5
A patient has been scheduled for a urea breath test in one month's time. What nursing diagnosis most likely prompted this diagnostic test?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Urea breath tests detect the presence of Helicobacter pylori, the bacteria that can live in the mucosal lining of the stomach and cause peptic ulcer disease. This test does not address fluid volume, nutritional status, or dentition.