The nurse is listening for bowel sounds in a postoperative patient. The bowel sounds are slow, as they are heard only every 3 to 4 minutes. The patient asks the nurse why this is happening. What is the nurse's best response?
a. Anesthesia during surgery and pain medication after surgery may slow peristalsis in the bowel.
b. Some people have a slower bowel than others, and this is nothing to be concerned about.
c. The foods you eat contribute to peristalsis, so you should eat more fiber in your diet.
d. Bowel peristalsis is slow because you are not walking. Get more exercise during the day.
Question 2
During an assessment, the patient states that his bowel movements cause discomfort because the stool is hard and difficult to pass.
As the nurse, you make which of the following suggestions to assist the patient with improving the quality of his bowel movement? (Select all that apply.)
a. Increase fiber intake.
b. Increase water consumption.
c. Decrease physical exercise.
d. Refrain from alcohol.
e. Refrain from smoking.
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