A nurse is caring for a client and is concerned that the client might have a fecal impaction. Which of the following is the most important question for the nurse to ask?
"What types of foods have you been eating?”
"Are you using stool softeners or laxatives?”
"Have you been passing gas?”
"Have you had small liquid stools?”
The Correct Answer is D
The correct answer is choice d. “Have you had small liquid stools?”
Choice A rationale:
While knowing the types of foods the client has been eating can provide insight into dietary habits that may contribute to constipation, it is not the most direct question to identify a fecal impaction.
Choice B rationale:
Asking about the use of stool softeners or laxatives is relevant to understanding the client’s bowel management, but it does not directly indicate the presence of a fecal impaction.
Choice C rationale:
Passing gas can indicate that there is some bowel movement, but it does not confirm or rule out a fecal impaction.
Choice D rationale:
Small liquid stools can be a sign of fecal impaction, as liquid stool may leak around the impacted mass. This makes it the most important question to ask when suspecting a fecal impaction.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is A
Explanation
The correct answer is Choice A - Measure the client's gastric residual before each feeding.
Choice A rationale:
The nurse's first action in caring for a client receiving intermittent enteral feedings should be to measure the client's gastric residual before each feeding. Gastric residual volume helps assess the client's tolerance to enteral feedings and can indicate delayed gastric emptying or potential complications like aspiration. If the residual volume is high, the nurse can collaborate with the healthcare team to determine whether to hold the feeding, adjust the feeding rate, or take other appropriate actions to ensure the client's safety and optimal nutritional status.
Choice B rationale:
Changing the enteral feeding bag and tubing every 24 hours is important to maintain the sterility and integrity of the feeding system. However, it is not the first action the nurse should take. The priority is to assess the client's tolerance to the feeding by measuring gastric residuals, which helps prevent complications.
Choice C rationale:
Documenting intake and output is a crucial aspect of nursing care for all clients, including those receiving enteral feedings. However, in the context of intermittent enteral feedings, measuring gastric residuals before each feeding is a more immediate and specific action to ensure the client's safety and well-being.
Choice D rationale:
Flushing the tubing with 30 mL of water after each feeding is important to prevent clogging and maintain the patency of the enteral feeding tube. However, this action is secondary to measuring gastric residuals, which directly assesses the client's tolerance to the feedings and helps prevent complications.
Correct Answer is B
Explanation
The correct answer is choice B: Performance of a paracentesis.
Choice A rationale:
Administration of an enema does not require informed consent in the same way that invasive procedures do. Enemas are typically considered routine nursing interventions and are not as invasive as the other options.
Choice B rationale:
This is the correct choice. A paracentesis is an invasive procedure that involves puncturing the abdominal cavity to withdraw fluid. Informed consent is required for procedures that carry potential risks, and paracentesis falls into this category due to the risk of complications such as infection, bleeding, or organ injury.
Choice C rationale:
Insertion of an indwelling urinary catheter is a common nursing procedure that, while invasive, does not typically require informed consent. However, the nurse should still explain the procedure to the client and obtain verbal consent, but it's not the same level of formal informed consent required for more invasive procedures.
Choice D rationale:
Placement of an NG tube, although uncomfortable, is not as invasive as a paracentesis. In most cases, NG tube placement is considered a medical or nursing intervention rather than a procedure that necessitates formal informed consent.
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