A patient with pancreatitis asks the nurse, Why are my stools so ...

[luminitza]

A patient with pancreatitis asks the nurse, Why are my stools so frothy and smell so bad? How should the nurse respond?
 
  1. This is a sign of malnutrition.
  2. This indicates your stools have more fat in them.
  3. This is a sign of peptic ulcer disease.
  4. You may be developing diabetes mellitus.

Question 2

The nurse is planning care for a patient scheduled for paracentesis to treat ascites. Which outcome should the nurse use for this patient's plan of care?
 
  1. The patient will have normal bilateral breath sounds.
  2. The patient's spleen will not rupture.
  3. The patient's respiratory effort will be lessened.
  4. The patient will not manifest symptoms of hepatomegaly.

[cclemon1]

Answer to Question 1

Correct Answer: 2
Steatorrhea is fatty, frothy, smelly stools associated with pancreatitis. It is caused by a decrease in pancreatic enzyme secretion; fat in the GI tract is not absorbed properly and a greater than normal amount of fat is excreted in the stool, causing the symptoms of steatorrhea. Pancreatitis can lead to malnutrition, but steatorrhea is not a sign of malnutrition. Peptic ulcer disease can be related to pancreatitis, but it is not related to steatorrhea. Diabetes mellitus causes increased urine production and could be the result of pancreatitis, but it does not affect stool characteristics.

Answer to Question 2

Correct Answer: 3
The goal of paracentesis is to relieve respiratory distress caused by excess fluid in the abdomen. Paracentesis does not cause an enlarged liver or alter breath sounds. A ruptured spleen is not a complication of paracentesis.

[luminitza]

Correct answers!

[cclemon1]

Great! Please up vote