The Gut Instinct
The term for difficulty swallowing that is a key manifestation of esophageal issues.
What is dysphagia?
The classic physical assessment finding for a patient with cholecystitis, characterized by pain with palpation upon inhalation, is known as this sign.
What is Murphy's sign?
The presence of gallstones, or cholelithiasis, can often lead to this painful inflammation of the pancreas.
What is pancreatitis?
This is the most accurate diagnostic test for determining chronic damage, such as fibrosis and atrophy, in the pancreas.
What is a CT scan?
This treatment is used to break up gallstones in patients who are not candidates for surgery.
What is extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL)?
Following a laparoscopic cholecystectomy, the nurse should encourage the patient to do this to help alleviate abdominal distention and gas pain.
What is ambulate?
A patient with dumping syndrome should follow this specific dietary guideline.
What is a diet that avoids concentrated sweets and includes a small, frequent meal schedule?
The substance, stored in the gallbladder, helps emulsify fats during digestion.
What is bile?
These two specific pancreatic enzymes are elevated in the blood during acute pancreatitis.
What are serum amylase and lipase?
When assessing a patient with a newly created colostomy, this is what a nurse should look for in the stoma.
What is a reddish-pink, moist, and patent stoma?
This procedure is performed to remove infected bile from the gallbladder when a patient is too unstable for immediate surgery.
What is a cholecystostomy?
For a patient with pancreatitis, controlling pain is a priority. This is the non-pharmacological comfort measure might a nurse implement.
What is positioning the patient on their side with knees flexed, or sitting up and leaning forward?
Inflammation of the small and large intestines, characterized by "skip lesions," is known as this disorder.
What is Crohn's disease?
This yellow discoloration of the skin and sclera is a sign of excessive bilirubin and can result from a bile duct obstruction.
What is jaundice?
A patient with acute pancreatitis reports severe, constant epigastric pain that often radiates to the back. This analgesic medication is often avoided to prevent biliary spasm.
What is morphine?
A patient with cirrhosis and ascites undergoes a paracentesis. The nurse should assess the patient for this common complication immediately following the procedure.
What is a risk for bleeding or a decrease in blood pressure?
To treat ascites in a patient with cirrhosis, this plasma protein is often administered to draw fluid back into the bloodstream.
What is albumin?
This is a crucial patient education point regarding diet for a patient recovering from cholecystitis.
What is to avoid high-fat, greasy, or gas-producing foods?
This is the gold-standard diagnostic test for identifying the presence of H. pylori in a patient with peptic ulcer disease.
What is an endoscopy with biopsy?
A surgical procedure to remove the gallbladder is called this.
What is a cholecystectomy?
This bluish periumbilical discoloration is an indicator of severe retroperitoneal hemorrhage in cases of necrotizing pancreatitis.
What is Cullen's sign?
The nurse is collecting data on a patient with chronic cholecystitis. The patient experiences fat intolerance, heartburn, and a history of repeated gallbladder inflammation. This additional finding might be expected.
What is minimal pain or acute confusion in an older adult?
This medication reduces gastric acid and is often prescribed for patients with GERD and peptic ulcer disease.
What is a proton pump inhibitor, such as pantoprazole or omeprazole?
A nurse is caring for a patient with an NG tube for GI decompression. This is the nursing intervention that is critical for maintaining patient comfort and preventing complications.
What is providing frequent mouth care?
The type of isolation precautions a nurse must implement for a patient with C. difficile.
What are contact precautions?
This herbal remedy is believed to block toxins from entering the liver and is often used by patients with liver conditions.
What is Milk Thistle?
In chronic pancreatitis, a nurse should expect to administer these supplements to help with digestion.
What are pancreatic enzyme replacements, such as pancrelipase?
This is the definitive diagnostic procedure for assessing gallbladder function.
What is a hepatobiliary iminodiacetic acid (HIDA) scan?
What intervention would the nurse expect to see for a patient with cholecystitis who is experiencing severe nausea and vomiting?
What is the insertion of a nasogastric (NG) tube for decompression?
When caring for a patient who has just had a liver biopsy, the nurse should place the patient in this specific position to reduce bleeding.
What is positioned on their right side?