Management of Patients with Biliary Disorders Flashcards
A patient is diagnosed with gallstones in the bile ducts. Which laboratory
result will the nurse review that is indicative of this disorder?
a. Serum ammonia concentration of 90 mg/dL
b. Serum albumin concentration of 4.0 g/dL
c. Serum bilirubin level greater than 1.0 mg/dL
d. Serum globulin concentration of 2.0 g/dL
c. Serum bilirubin level greater than 1.0 mg/dL
A patient is admitted to the hospital with a possible common bile duct
obstruction. Which symptoms assessed by the nurse are indicators of this
problem? (Select all that apply.)
a. Amber-colored urine
b. Clay-colored feces
c. Pruritus
d. Jaundice
e. Pain in the left upper abdominal quadrant
b. Clay-colored feces
c. Pruritus
d. Jaundice
A patient is admitted to the hospital with possible cholelithiasis. Which
test will the nurse prepare the patient for to confirm diagnosis?
a. X-ray
b. Oral cholecystography
c. Cholecystography
d. Ultrasonography
d. Ultrasonography
A patient is receiving pharmacologic therapy with ursodeoxycholic acid
or chenodeoxycholic acid for treatment of small gallstones. The patient
asks the nurse how long the therapy will take to dissolve the stones.
Which is the best answer by the nurse?
a. 1 to 2 months
b. 3 to 5 months
c. 6 to 8 months
d. 6 to 12 months
d. 6 to 12 months
A patient is diagnosed with mild acute pancreatitis. Which condition is
characteristic of this disorder?
a. Edema and inflammation
b. Pleural effusion
c. Sepsis
d. Disseminated intravascular coagulopathy
a. Edema and inflammation
The nurse is admitting a patient to the intensive care unit with a
diagnosis of acute pancreatitis. When performing a health history, which
statement made by the patient is likely the reason that the patient came to
the acute care facility?
a. “I was having severe pain in the abdomen.”
b. “I have had a temperature of 99.5°F for several days.”
c. “My skin started looking a little yellow.”
d. “I started losing some of my short-term memory.”
a. “I was having severe pain in the abdomen.”
The nurse will assess for an important early indicator of acute
pancreatitis. Which prolonged and elevated level would the nurse
identify as an early indicator?
a. Serum calcium
b. Serum lipase
c. Serum bilirubin
d. Serum amylase
b. Serum lipase
When caring for the patient with acute pancreatitis, pain relief measures
are essential. Which nursing actions will be provided? (Select all that
apply.)
a. Encourage bed rest to decrease the metabolic rate.
b. Assist the patient into the prone position.
c. Withhold oral feedings to limit the release of secretin.
d. Administer parenteral opioid analgesics as prescribed.
e. Administer prophylactic antibiotics.
a. Encourage bed rest to decrease the metabolic rate.
c. Withhold oral feedings to limit the release of secretin.
d. Administer parenteral opioid analgesics as prescribed.
A patient is suspected to have pancreatic carcinoma and is having
diagnostic testing to determine insulin deficiency. Which will the nurse
identify is an indicator for insulin deficiency in this patient? (Select all
that apply.)
a. An abnormal glucose tolerance
b. Glucosuria
c. Hyperglycemia
d. Elevated lipase level
e. Hypoglycemia
a. An abnormal glucose tolerance
b. Glucosuria
c. Hyperglycemia
A nurse will monitor blood glucose levels for a patient diagnosed with
hyperinsulinism. Which blood value does the nurse identify as
inadequate to sustain normal brain function?
a. 30 mg/dL
b. 50 mg/dL
c. 70 mg/dL
d. 90 mg/dL
a. 30 mg/dL
The nurse is caring for a patient with acute pancreatitis. The patient has a
prescription for an anticholinergic medication. Which education will the
nurse provide about the reason the patient is taking the medication?
a. To decrease metabolism
b. To depress the central nervous system and increase the pain threshold
c. To reduce gastric and pancreatic secretions
d. To relieve nausea and vomiting
c. To reduce gastric and pancreatic secretions
The patient admitted with acute pancreatitis has passed the acute stage
and is now able to tolerate solid foods. Which type of diet will increase
caloric intake without stimulating pancreatic enzymes beyond the ability
of the pancreas to respond?
a. Low-sodium, high-potassium, low-fat diet
b. High-carbohydrate, high-protein, low-fat diet
c. Low-carbohydrate, high-potassium diet
d. High-carbohydrate, low-protein, low-fat diet
d. High-carbohydrate, low-protein, low-fat diet
The nurse is caring for a patient with acute pancreatitis. Which action
can be provided in order to prevent atelectasis and prevent pooling of
respiratory secretions?
a. Frequent change of positions
b. Placing the patient in the prone position
c. Perform chest physiotherapy
d. Suction the patient every 4 hours
a. Frequent change of positions
A patient with acute pancreatitis puts the call bell on to tell the nurse
about an increase in pain. The nurse observes the patient guarding; the
abdomen is boardlike and no bowel sounds are detected. Which is the
major concern for this patient?
a. The patient requires more pain medication.
b. The patient is developing a paralytic ileus.
c. The patient has developed peritonitis.
d. The patient has developed kidney disease.
c. The patient has developed peritonitis.
The nurse is caring for a patient with chronic pancreatitis. When
observing the stool of the patient, which indication does the nurse have
that fat absorption is impaired?
a. The stools are streaked with blood.
b. The stools are frothy and foul smelling.
c. The stools are pale and pencil thin.
d. The stools are watery.
b. The stools are frothy and foul smelling.
A patient undergoes a laparoscopic cholecystectomy for the treatment of
cholelithiasis and is discharged several hours later. The patient calls the
nurse and reports pain in the right shoulder. Which is the best response
by the nurse?
a. “You need to have someone bring you back to the hospital
immediately since this is a complication of the procedure.”
b. “This is due to the gas used to insufflate the abdomen and you can use
a heating pad for 15 to 20 minutes every hour.”
c. “The health care provider will need to insert a drain since there may
be an accumulation of fluid in the abdominal cavity.”
d. “Sometimes during a laparoscopic cholecystectomy, the liver is
lacerated and causes bleeding, but it will stop on its own.”
b. “This is due to the gas used to insufflate the abdomen and you can use
a heating pad for 15 to 20 minutes every hour.”
