RN Nursing · Bowel Elimination · Practice question
A nurse is assessing a client the first day after colon surgery. Based on knowledge of the effects of anesthesia and manipulation of the bowel during surgery, what fo assessment will be included?
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✓
Bowel sounds
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Skin turgor
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Urinary output
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Pulse character
Answer & explanation
Correct: Bowel sounds
Following colon surgery, both general anesthesia and direct manipulation of the bowel predictably suppress peristalsis, producing a condition called postoperative ileus. The return of bowel sounds signals the resumption of peristaltic activity and is the critical assessment finding that guides decisions about oral intake, tube-feeding advancement, and discharge readiness. Auscultating all four quadrants for bowel sounds is therefore the priority assessment unique to this postoperative context. Skin turgor is relevant to hydration status but is not specifically linked to the effects of anesthesia or bowel manipulation. Urinary output is routinely monitored postoperatively for fluid balance and renal perfusion, but it is not the most targeted assessment for bowel-surgery effects. Pulse character can indicate circulatory changes or pain response, but again it does not specifically reflect the gastrointestinal consequences of colon surgery and anesthesia. The question asks what assessment will be included based on knowledge of anesthesia's effect on the bowel, making bowel sounds the single most relevant and specific answer. Students should remember that bowel sounds typically return within 24–72 hours after abdominal surgery, with the small intestine recovering first, followed by the stomach and colon.
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