Abdomen Assessment Flashcards
What 7 pieces of subjective data could you collect?
- appetite
- change in weight
- difficulty swallowing
- food intolerance
- abdominal pain
- nausea/vomiting
- bowel habits
What form of therapy helps with dysphagia?
speech therapy
Which populations are most susceptible to constipation?
children, elderly, college kids
What population is susceptible to fecal impaction?
quadriplegic patients
What is distention?
painful bloating
After having surgery and being under anesthetics, what is the effect on the bowels?
slows them down
have to make sure they urinate
Narcotics and iron medications cause…
constipation
When on iron medications what are the characteristics of stool?
dark
Antibiotics cause…
loose stools
In what order do you collect objective data?
- inspection
- auscultation
- percussion
- palpation
What 7 things do you inspect with the abdomen?
- contour
- symmetry
- umbilicus
- skin
- aortic movement
- characteristics of normal feces
- intake and output
What does a gravid abdomen look like?
pregnant belly
What is abdominal striae?
stretch marks
What does it mean if you see any movement in the abdomen?
- baby
- heart is overworking
- peristalsis
- parasites
What value during measurement indicates aortic aneurysm?
> 5cm
What is the normal content of feces?
75% water
25% bacteria and undigested food
What does red colored stool indicate?
lower GI problem
What does black colored stool indicate?
upper GI problem
What does green colored stool indicate?
infection
What does clay colored stool indicate?
liver problem
In what quadrant do you begin auscultation?
R. lower quadrant
When performing light palpation how deep should you go?
1-2cm deep
When performing deep palpation how deep should you go?
5-8cm deep
When should you not perform deep palpation?
if they have mono because the spleen could rupture
What side of the body is the liver on?
right side
What side of the body is the spleen on?
left side
At what value during measurement indicates that an umbilical hernia requires surgical intervention?
> 1in
What is diastasis recti?
separation of rectus muscles that is common in infants
What is meconium stool?
baby’s first poop: black, tarry, sticky (24-48hrs)
What are the characteristics of breast fed stool?
seedy, grainy
What are the characteristics of formula fed stool?
smooth
What is a protuberant abdomen?
round belly common in children
At what age can a child feel the urge to defecate?
18 months
When collecting a stool specimen what should not be included?
toilet paper, urine, antibiotics
What does it mean if a hemocult test turns blue?
there is blood in stool
What is a EGD?
upper endoscopy
What are enemas?
inserting fluid into rectum to soften stool
