Nursing Interventions
These two lab values will be elevated with pancreatitis.
What are lipase and amylase?
Colicky pain caused by distention of the bowel and vomiting, hypoactive bowel sounds, abdominal tenderness.
What are clinical manifestations of intestinal obstruction?
21 F presents with 3 day history of lower abdominal pain and light blood in urine. What tests should you anticipate?
Urinalysis, POC urine HCG
This term describes a hernia that cannot be easily pushed back into abdomen
What is incarcerated?
This procedure involves instilling 1 or 2 L of dialysate (fluid containing glucose, magnesium, calcium, chloride, sodium, and lactate) into the abdomen through a device that provides access to the peritoneal cavity
What is peritoneal dialysis?
Applying ice will generally relieve this dull testicular pain.
What is epididymitis?
Begins when digestive enzymes become active inside the organ and start "digesting" it.
Pancreatitis.
40 M presents with left flank pain, hematuria, nausea, vomiting, and cannot seem to sit still. What do you anticipate?
Urinalysis, blood work, pain medications. Likely kidney stone rule out.
This term describes what a patient does when he/she tenses his/her abdominal muscles during the abdominal assessment
What is guarding?
A mother brings her 7-year old daughter to the ED and states the child has been running a low grade fever, is irritable, fatigued, and is complaining of abdominal pain. The mother reports the child has wet the bed the past 3 nights and the child's urine is foul smelling. The nurse suspects this
What is a uti vs pyelonephritis.
Any patient presenting with abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea should have this standing order until okay'ed by provider.
What is NPO?
Develop when normal blood flow to the liver is blocked. Occurs frequently in patients with advanced liver disease. Can range in acuity from chronic and asymptomatic to life-threatening.
What are esophageal varices?
7 M presents with periumbilical pain for 48 hours. Patient also having nausea without vomiting. Patient wants to sit in parent's lap and has pain when standing. What work up should you anticipate?
Blood work, urine, abdominal ultrasound. Rule out appendicitis.
Pain caused by GERD worsens in this position
What is leaning forward, lying flat, or stooping?
This imaging study is the gold standard for the diagnosis of renal calculi
What is computed tomography (CT)?
This should include diagnosis information, diet, medication information, follow-up instructions, and when to return to the ED.
What is discharge teaching/education.
A chronic, functional bowel problem with no identifiable pathology, but is characterized by alternating periods of constipation and diarrhea.
What is irritable bowel syndrome?
65 M presents with fever, elevated WBC (leukocytosis), left lower abdominal pain, and diarrhea alternating with constipation. The nurse concludes that these are frequently seen with which diagnosis?
What is diverticulitis?
The majority of clinical manifestations of Crohn's disease are directly related to this.
What is malabsorption?
Urinary tract infections usually result from this organism
What is Escherichia coli?
Can present as unilateral dull ache or extreme pain. When ruptured, these can lead to hypovolemic shock and torsion.
What is an ovarian cyst?
History of gastric bypass, esophageal varices, facial trauma
What are contraindications of NG tube placement?
33 F presents with right upper quadrant pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea x 72 hours. She has loss of appetite and dark amber urine. VS as follows 99.4F, 101 HR, 141/87 BP, 20RR, 98% on RA. What do you anticipate?
Blood work, abdominal US or CT, urine, EKG. Rule out cholecystitis.
Patients may state, "I feel like there is a belt around my chest/abd.
Gastroesophageal varices are enlarged veins that are dilated because of this condition
What is portal hypertension/alcohol abuse
Look for this when differentiating between epididymitis and testicular torsion
Pain relief with testicular elevation and ice