A nurse cares for a client with acute pancreatitis. The client states, "I am hungry." How should the nurse reply?
a. "Is your stomach rumbling or do you have bowel sounds?"
b. "I need to check your gag reflex before you can eat."
c. "Have you passed any flatus or moved your bowels?"
d. "You will not be able to eat until the pain subsides."
ANS: C
Paralytic ileus is a common complication of acute pancreatitis. The client should not eat until this has resolved. Bowel sounds and decreased pain are not reliable indicators of peristalsis. Instead, the nurse should assess for passage of flatus or bowel movement.
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