Kozier & Erb’s Fundamentals of Nursing, 10/E
Chapter 49
Question 1
Type: MCSA
A client asks the RN why it is more difficult to use a bedpan for defecating than sitting on the toilet. Which would
be the nurse’s best response?
1. The sitting position decreases the contractions of the muscles of the pelvic floor.
2. The sitting position increases the downward pressure on the rectum, making it easier to pass stool.
3. The sitting position increases the pressure within the abdomen.
4. The sitting position inhibits the urge to urinate, allowing one to defecate.
Question 2
Type: MCSA
A client asks the nurse why expelled flatus is foul-smelling. What should the nurse respond?
1. The actions of microorganisms within the gastrointestinal tract are responsible for the odor.
2. The client’s emotions are causing the gas formation.
3. The sensory nerves in the rectum are being stimulated.
4. The client has swallowed too much air while eating.
Question 3
Type: MCSA
The home care nurse is reviewing a list of clients prior to making visits. For which client should the nurse plan
interventions to decrease the risk of developing constipation?
1. An adult who is on bed rest
2. An infant who is breast-fed
3. A school-age child at recess
4. A toddler who is now walking
Question 4
Type: MCSA
The nurse is taking care of a client who states that he ignores the urge to defecate when he is at work. Which
response should the nurse make to explain why this practice should be changed?
1. “If you continue to ignore the urge to defecate, the urge is ultimately lost.”
2. “It is best to suppress the urge rather than suffer embarrassment at work.”
3. “This is a common practice, and it will strengthen the reflex later.”
4. “You will get the urge later; don’t worry.”
Question 5
Type: MCSA
The nurse is preparing to assess a client’s fecal elimination status. Which activity will the nurse complete during
this assessment?
1. Obtain a nursing history.
2. Interpret results of diagnostic tests.
3. Perform a physical examination.
4. Set goals with the client.
Question 6
Type: MCSA
The nurse determines that an adult client’s feces are normal. What did the nurse assess to come to this conclusion?
1. Black in color
2. Cylindrical in shape
3. Pungent in odor
4. Yellow in color
Question 7
Type: MCSA
The nurse is caring for a client who experiences frequent bouts of diarrhea. What should the nurse instruct the
client to do?
1. Change the daily routine.
2. Decrease fluid consumption.
3. Increase fiber in the diet.
4. Note the precipitating event.
Question 8
The nurse is caring for a client who is experiencing constipation. Which client behavior indicates that teaching
was effective?
1. The client continues to ask for his pain medication.
2. The client decreases his fluid consumption.
3. The client refuses to eat the bran flakes on his tray.
4. The client walks around the unit several times a day.
Question 9
Type: MCSA
A client has a bowel movement of hard, dry, but formed stool. The nurse associates these characteristics with
1. bowel incontinence.
2. constipation.
3. diarrhea.
4. fecal impaction.
Question 10
Type: MCSA
What nursing diagnosis should the nurse select as appropriate to address bowel evacuation for a client who is on
bed rest?
1. Bowel Incontinence
2. Constipation
3. Diarrhea
4. Disturbed Body Image
Question 11
Type: MCSA
The nurse is identifying goals for a client experiencing diarrhea. What goal should the nurse select for this client?
1. Client will defecate regularly.
2. Client will increase the amount of sugar in the diet.
3. Client will limit fluid intake.
4. Client will regain normal stool consistency.
Question 12
Type: MCSA
The nurse is instructing a client on ostomy care. What should be included in this teaching?
1. Change the drainage pouch daily.
2. Clothing of a special style will be needed now that a pouch is worn.
3. Stick a pin into the drainage pouch to relieve any gas buildup.
4. Secure the faceplate to the drainage pouch so no skin around the stoma is exposed.
Question 13
Type: MCSA
Which assessment technique will the nurse use first when examining a client with a fecal elimination problem?
1. Auscultation
2. Inspection
3. Palpation
4. Percussion
Page Number: 1220
Question 14
Type: MCSA
The nurse suspects that a client is experiencing compromised gastrointestinal function. What assessment data did
the nurse use to make this clinical decision?
1. Bowel sounds active in all four quadrants
2. Clay-colored stool
3. Increased appetite
4. Semisolid and moist stool
Question 15
Type: MCSA
A client has a history of an inconsistent fecal elimination pattern. What should the nurse instruct this client to
improve this health problem?
1. Drink two to four glasses of water daily.
2. Include more spicy foods and sugar in the diet.
3. Include more whole grains in the diet.
4. Use enemas as desired.
Question 16
Type: MCSA
The nurse is caring for the stoma of a client who has a colostomy. Which action is the most appropriate?
1. Apply pressure over the stoma.
2. Clean the stoma and pat dry.
3. Dilate the stoma.
4. Scrub the stoma.
Question 17
Type: MCSA
A client is prescribed to receive a cleansing enema. What should the nurse instruct the client prior to
administering this enema?
1. Hold the solution for a short time.
2. Lie in the left lateral position.
3. Lie in the right lateral position.
4. Take fast breaths through the nose.
Question 18
Type: MCSA
A client is prescribed a saline enema. Because this solution is hypertonic, the nurse would expect the enema to
cause which action?
1. Exerts osmotic pressure and draws fluid from the interstitial space into the colon
2. Exerts a lower osmotic pressure than the surrounding interstitial fluid
3. Exerts the same osmotic pressure as the interstitial fluid surrounding the colon
4. Stimulates peristalsis by increasing the volume in the colon and irritating the colon
Question 19
Type: MCSA
After eating dinner, a client asks for help to get to the bathroom because of an extreme urge to defecate. The nurse
realizes that the client has experienced which physiological function of the colon?
1. Flatus
2. Mass peristalsis
3. Haustral churning
4. Peristalsis