The nurse is caring for a client who is recovering from acute pancreatitis. The client asks the nurse when they can begin eating again. Which response by the nurse is most accurate?
When your pain is controlled and your serum amylase level decreases
When you have active bowel sounds and are passing flatus
As soon as you start to feel hungry you can begin eating
Oral intake can be started when you are more active
The Correct Answer is B
Choice A reason: Pain control and lower amylase help, but resuming eating depends on gut function (bowel sounds, flatus), not just lab or pain status.
Choice B reason: Active bowel sounds and flatus indicate gut recovery post-pancreatitis, signaling readiness for oral intake, the most accurate marker for feeding resumption.
Choice C reason: Hunger isn’t a reliable indicator; eating too soon risks pancreatitis worsening if the gut isn’t ready, despite pain or amylase levels.
Choice D reason: Activity level doesn’t assess gut function; eating hinges on bowel recovery (sounds, flatus), not mobility, making this less precise.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is A
Explanation
Choice A reason: Nasogastric suction removes gastric acid (HCl), reducing hydrogen ions, raising pH, and causing metabolic alkalosis, a common post-surgical complication here.
Choice B reason: Panic attacks cause respiratory alkalosis from hyperventilation, lowering CO2, not metabolic alkalosis, which involves base excess, unrelated to this ABG.
Choice C reason: ESRD typically causes metabolic acidosis from acid retention, not alkalosis, as kidneys fail to excrete hydrogen, opposing this patient’s ABG findings.
Choice D reason: Epidural catheters manage pain with analgesics, not affecting acid-base balance or causing metabolic alkalosis, irrelevant to the ABG shift observed.
Correct Answer is D
Explanation
Choice A reason: Levothyroxine takes weeks to normalize metabolism in hypothyroidism as T4 converts to T3 gradually, so immediate symptom relief isn’t accurate or expected.
Choice B reason: Levothyroxine supplements, not decreases, thyroxine in hypothyroidism. Decreasing overproduction applies to hyperthyroidism treatments like antithyroid drugs, not this condition.
Choice C reason: Hypothyroidism requires lifelong levothyroxine since the thyroid can’t produce hormone. Stopping when symptoms resolve risks recurrence, making this advice incorrect.
Choice D reason: Excess levothyroxine mimics hyperthyroidism, causing tremors, nervousness, and insomnia from overstimulated metabolism, correctly indicating a need for dose adjustment.
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