A patient is in the intensive care unit with multiple organ dysfunction syndrome. Which of the following assessment finding would indicate that the patient is experiencing failure of the gastrointestinal system?
1. abdominal cramps
2. absent bowel sounds
3. increased flatus
4. complaint of epigastric burning
2
Rationale: Gastrointestinal bleeding from acute stress ulceration of the stomach is not as common as it used to be. There are no reliable measures of gastrointestinal function in multiple organ dysfunction syndrome. There is subjective evidence of gastrointestinal dysfunction with the development of an ileus or intolerance to enteral tube feedings. Because there is no objective measure of gastrointestinal function in the patient, the one assessment finding that could indicate dysfunction in this system would be the absence of bowel sounds. Abdominal cramps would indicate some degree of gastrointestinal functioning. Increased flatus would also indicate some degree of gastrointestinal functioning. A complaint of epigastric burning may or may not even be associated with gastrointestinal system dysfunction.
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