The nurse is caring for a client with diagnosis of peptic ulcer disease. Which assessment finding indicates to the nurse that the client most likely has an ulcer in the stomach rather than the duodenum?
The client's stool is positive for occult blood.
The client reports abdominal discomfort an hour after each meal.
The client has had four ulcers in the last 5 years.
The client's hemoglobin is 13 g/dL and hematocrit is 42%.
The Correct Answer is B
Abdominal discomfort an hour after a meal is a common symptom of a gastric ulcer because the stomach is where food is initially processed, and stomach acid is most concentrated. In contrast, duodenal ulcers typically cause pain 2-3 hours after meals, as food moves out of the stomach and into the duodenum, where it encounters duodenal acid.
A positive stool occult blood test is a non-specific finding that can be caused by many gastrointestinal conditions, including peptic ulcers. It does not indicate the location of the ulcer.
The number of ulcers the client has had in the past does not indicate the location of the current ulcer.
Normal hemoglobin and hematocrit levels do not provide information about the location of the ulcer.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is A
Explanation
NSAIDs are known to be a common cause of acute gastritis. Therefore, it is essential for the nurse to ask the patient about their frequency of NSAID use to determine if this may have caused their current symptoms. Other options such as family history of gastric problems, recent weight gain or loss, and amount of fat in the diet, may also be relevant to the patient's overall health status, but they are not as important as the potential cause of their current condition.
Correct Answer is B
Explanation
The pH value is less than the normal range of 7.35-7.45, indicating acidosis. The PaCO2 value is elevated above the normal range of 35-45 mmHg, indicating respiratory acidosis. The PaO2 value is lower than normal, but not significantly low enough to indicate hypoxemia. The HCO3- level is within the normal range, but not significantly high enough to indicate metabolic compensation for respiratory acidosis.
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