which of the following techniques would the nurse use first to determine if a nasogastric tube is positioned in the stomach
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Nursing Elites

ATI RN

Gastrointestinal System Nursing Exam Questions

1. Which of the following techniques would the nurse use first to determine if a nasogastric tube is positioned in the stomach?

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The initial way to determine if a nasogastric tube is in the stomach is to apply suction to the tube with a syringe and observe for the return of stomach contents. Then the pH of the aspirate can be measured. This is the method of choice. One would not irrigate until tube placement is confirmed. Observing for air bubbles when the free end of the tube is placed under water is an unacceptable, unsafe method of determining tube placement. Another method is to instill air into the tube with a syringe while auscultating over the epigastric area. Hearing the air enter the stomach helps ensure proper placement, but the method is not foolproof and is no longer considered an effective or preferred way to determine placement.

2. You’re doing preoperative teaching with Gertrude who has ulcerative colitis who needs surgery to create an ileoanal reservoir. Which information do you include?

Correct answer: D

Rationale: The surgery to create an ileoanal reservoir occurs in two stages.

3. Anna is 45 y.o. and has a bleeding ulcer. Despite multiple blood transfusions, her HGB is 7.5g/dl and HCT is 27%. Her doctor determines that surgical intervention is necessary and she undergoes partial gastrectomy. Postoperative nursing care includes:

Correct answer: D

Rationale: Postoperative care for a patient who underwent partial gastrectomy includes keeping her NPO until the return of peristalsis to prevent complications.

4. A nurse is caring for a client who has a new diagnosis of Crohn's disease. Which of the following findings should the nurse expect?

Correct answer: B

Rationale: Clients with Crohn's disease often experience fatty stools (steatorrhea) due to malabsorption of fats. This occurs because the inflammation caused by Crohn's disease can affect the small intestine, impairing the body's ability to absorb nutrients. Bloody diarrhea is more commonly associated with ulcerative colitis. Weight gain is not a typical symptom of Crohn's disease; instead, weight loss is more common due to malabsorption and decreased appetite. High fever can occur during acute flare-ups but is not a primary finding of Crohn's disease.

5. Five days after undergoing surgery, a client develops a small-bowel obstruction. A Miller-Abbott tube is inserted for bowel decompression. Which nursing diagnosis takes priority?

Correct answer: C

Rationale: For a client with a small-bowel obstruction and a Miller-Abbott tube, deficient fluid volume is the priority nursing diagnosis.

Similar Questions

The nurse is assessing a 71-year-old female client with ulcerative colitis. Which assessment finding related to the family will have the greatest impact on the client's rehabilitation after discharge?
Which of the following complications of gastric resection should the nurse teach the client to watch for?
Which of the following aspects is the priority focus of nursing management for a client with peritonitis?
The nurse is caring for a client following a Billroth II procedure. On review of the post-operative orders, which of the following, if prescribed, would the nurse question and verify?
Annebell is being discharged with a colostomy, and you’re teaching her about colostomy care. Which statement correctly describes a healthy stoma?

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