← Back

Chapter 29: Introduction to the Digestive System

Every problem in the chapter beside the book’s answer, a chapter at a time as you scroll.

Chapter 29: Introduction to the Digestive System

10 problems · 0 figures

29-1 §29.RQ source ↗

The nurse is caring for a client with inflammation of the biliary duct. The nurse anticipates that the client will need to limit dietary intake of which nutrient?
  1. a.
    Fats
  2. b.
    Proteins
  3. c.
    Carbohydrates
  4. d.
    Fiber

Answer

A. Fats
Bile, secreted by the liver, aids in digestion by breaking down fats into fatty acids; therefore, the client may need to limit intake of dietary fat.

29-2 §29.RQ source ↗

A nurse is developing a care plan for a client with gastritis. Which potential complication should the nurse address?
  1. a.
    Jaundice
  2. b.
    Bleeding
  3. c.
    Acute renal failure
  4. d.
    Thromboembolism

Answer

B. Bleeding
Gastritis, the irritation and inflammation of the lining of the stomach, can result in bleeding.

29-3 §29.RQ source ↗

During the health history of a client who had radiation to the head and neck for cancer, the client informs the nurse that their salivary glands were damaged. Which assessment finding should the nurse anticipate?
  1. a.
    Moist buccal membranes
  2. b.
    Difficulty swallowing
  3. c.
    Altered speech
  4. d.
    Constipation

Answer

B. Difficulty swallowing
Saliva helps moisten food to make it easier to swallow. The salivary glands produce about 2 L of saliva every day to help keep the oral cavity, including the buccal membranes, moist.

29-4 §29.RQ source ↗

The nurse is caring for a client with dysfunction of the upper esophageal sphincter. Which sign or symptom would the nurse expect the client to have?
  1. a.
    Early fullness after eating
  2. b.
    Heartburn
  3. c.
    Aspiration of food
  4. d.
    Vomiting

Answer

C. Aspiration of food
A dysfunctional upper esophageal sphincter may allow food or fluid to enter the airway when the client swallows.

29-5 §29.RQ source ↗

The nurse is preparing a client for discharge following a small bowel resection because of cancer. Which instruction should the nurse include in the discharge education?
  1. a.
    Take daily liquid vitamin and mineral supplements.
  2. b.
    Limit daily fluid intake.
  3. c.
    Avoid starchy foods.
  4. d.
    Take a laxative for constipation.

Answer

A. Take daily liquid vitamin and mineral supplements.
Because the small intestine is responsible for absorbing nutrients, the client will need vitamin and mineral supplements.

29-6 §29.RQ source ↗

The nurse is caring for a client with insufficient lipase production. The nurse explains to the client that absorption of which vitamin will be impaired?
  1. a.
    Folate
  2. b.
    Vitamin B12
  3. c.
    Vitamin K
  4. d.
    Thiamine

Answer

C. Vitamin K
Lipase is involved in the breakdown of fats and the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins. This means the client will have deficient levels of vitamin K, a fat-soluble vitamin.

29-7 §29.RQ source ↗

The nurse is providing education to a client with a newly diagnosed condition related to dysfunctional villi of the small intestine. Which of the following can result from this condition?
  1. a.
    Esophageal varices
  2. b.
    Heartburn
  3. c.
    Gastritis
  4. d.
    Nutritional deficiencies

Answer

D. Nutritional deficiencies
Intestinal villi are highly vascular and line the entire small intestine to accomplish most of the digestion and absorption processes. Therefore, dysfunctional villi may lead to malabsorption and nutritional deficiencies.

29-8 §29.RQ source ↗

When assessing a client’s gastrointestinal health, which question should the nurse ask?
  1. a.
    “Do you have problems walking?”
  2. b.
    “Have you had an unintended weight gain or loss?”
  3. c.
    “Do you have any drug allergies?”
  4. d.
    “How many hours do you sleep each night?”

Answer

B. “Have you had an unintended weight gain or loss?”
When assessing a client’s gastrointestinal system, the nurse should ask whether the client has had any unintended weight gain or loss. A change in weight may be due to factors affecting the appetite or the ingestion, digestion, or absorption of nutrients.

29-9 §29.RQ source ↗

The nurse is assessing a client with damage to cranial nerve VII (the facial nerve). Which finding does the nurse expect to see in this client?
  1. a.
    Difficulty swallowing
  2. b.
    Problems with chewing
  3. c.
    Impaired salivation
  4. d.
    Vocal cord atrophy

Answer

C. Impaired salivation
Cranial nerve VII, the facial nerve, is involved with salivation.

29-10 §29.RQ source ↗

Which medication does the nurse anticipate will be ordered for a client admitted with a diagnosis of gastritis?
  1. a.
    Antacids
  2. b.
    Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
  3. c.
    Aspirin
  4. d.
    Antiemetics

Answer

A. Antacids
When prostaglandin E2 is not sufficient to prevent gastritis, medications such as antacids may be needed to reduce or eliminate symptoms.

Loading chapter 30…

Problems and answers are adapted from Pharmacology for Nurses by Tina Barbour-Taylor, Leah Mueller (Sabato), Donna Paris and Dorie Weaver, OpenStax, and are used under the CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 licence. Access for free at https://openstax.org/books/pharmacology/pages/1-introduction. Illustrations: Copyright Rice University, OpenStax, under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 license. This adaptation is released under the same licence, is non-commercial, and is neither affiliated with nor endorsed by OpenStax or Rice University.