A nurse is assisting in the care of a client who has pneumonia.

Exhibits

The nurse is reinforcing discharge teaching with the client and their caregiver. Which of the following information should the nurse include? Select all that apply.

A. Dietary intake: The client ate toast at 0600 and experienced vomiting. Since general anesthesia is typically used for an appendectomy, recent food intake increases the risk of aspiration and should be reported immediately to the surgical team.

B. Pain level: The client reports increasing pain (now 8/10) with rebound tenderness. This may indicate worsening inflammation or risk of rupture, which requires reassessment and potentially expedited surgical intervention.

C. Blood pressure: The blood pressure of 124/80 mm Hg is within normal limits and does not require follow-up before surgery. It reflects stable hemodynamics.

D. Informed consent: The provider has already obtained informed consent and placed it in the medical record. No further follow-up is needed unless the client withdraws consent or shows signs of confusion.

E. Oxygen saturation: The client's oxygen saturation is 96% on room air, which is acceptable. There are no indications of respiratory compromise that require further intervention preoperatively.

F. Allergies: The client reports allergies to shellfish, latex, and penicillin. These pose serious risks during surgery (e.g., anaphylaxis to latex gloves or antibiotics) and must be addressed in the preoperative checklist to ensure appropriate substitutes are used.

A. Hypoactivity: Hypoactive bowel sounds refer to reduced or diminished intestinal activity, often indicating slowed motility. These sounds are usually soft, infrequent, or absent, which contrasts with the loud, growling sounds described in this scenario.

B. Paralytic ileus: Paralytic ileus is a condition characterized by the absence of intestinal motility, resulting in no bowel sounds on auscultation. The presence of loud growling sounds indicates active bowel movements, making paralytic ileus an unlikely term.

C. Borborygmi: Borborygmi describes the loud, rumbling, growling, or gurgling sounds caused by the movement of gas and fluids through the intestines. These sounds are normal but can be louder than usual in cases of increased gastrointestinal activity, such as hunger or diarrhea.

D. Distention: Distention refers to the visible swelling or enlargement of the abdomen, often due to gas, fluid, or mass accumulation. It is a physical finding observed visually or by palpation, not a term for a type of bowel sound heard during auscultation.