The nurse is caring for a patient following a cystoscopy.
Which assessment finding would the nurse report to the provider as a complication after the procedure?

Choice A rationale

Older adults' skin turgor is typically not moist and boggy. Instead, it often presents with decreased elasticity and may appear lax due to age-related changes in collagen and elastin fibers. Boggy skin turgor can indicate significant fluid retention or edema, which is not a normal physiological finding associated with aging alone.

Choice B rationale

Skin turgor is significantly affected by aging. The dermis thins, and there is a reduction in collagen and elastin, leading to a loss of skin elasticity. This physiological process results in decreased turgor, making the skin appear less resilient and more prone to tenting, reflecting normal age-related changes.

Choice C rationale

A decrease in elasticity on skin turgor is a normal part of aging. As individuals age, there is a natural reduction in the quantity and quality of elastin and collagen fibers within the dermal layer of the skin. This leads to diminished recoil capacity, manifesting as prolonged tenting when the skin is pinched, which is a expected finding.

Choice D rationale

Assessing skin turgor only on the hands of older adults is not the most reliable approach. Due to age-related loss of subcutaneous fat and decreased elasticity, the hands can often show false positives for dehydration. The sternum or forehead provides a more accurate assessment site for evaluating hydration status in the elderly population because these areas are less affected by typical age-related changes in skin elasticity.

Choice A rationale

Identifying renal artery bruits typically involves auscultation, not palpation. Bruits are abnormal sounds produced by turbulent blood flow through a narrowed or constricted artery, which are heard with a stethoscope placed over the renal arteries. Palpation is not an effective method for detecting vascular sounds.

Choice B rationale

Assessing for ureteral peristalsis is challenging and not routinely done through external palpation. Ureteral peristalsis involves rhythmic contractions of the smooth muscle in the ureters that propel urine from the kidneys to the bladder, which is an internal physiological process not directly palpable through the abdominal wall.

Choice C rationale

Palpation is a standard physical assessment technique used to detect bladder distention. An overfilled bladder rises above the symphysis pubis and can be felt as a firm, rounded mass in the suprapubic area, indicating urinary retention or incomplete emptying, which is a common post-catheter removal assessment.

Choice D rationale

Determining kidney function primarily involves laboratory tests, such as serum creatinine, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), and glomerular filtration rate (GFR) calculations, rather than physical palpation. While kidney palpation can assess size and tenderness, it does not directly measure the physiological efficiency of filtration and waste removal.