Question

The nurse is working with a patient who has been experiencing episodes of urinary retention. What assessment finding would suggest that the patient is experiencing retention?

A) The patient's suprapubic region is dull on percussion.
B) The patient is uncharacteristically drowsy.
C) The patient claims to void large amounts of urine 2 to 3 times daily.
D) The patient takes a beta adrenergic blocker for the treatment of hypertension."

Answer 1

The assessment finding suggesting urinary retention is dullness on percussion in the patient's suprapubic region, indicating a distended bladder. This could arise from various conditions, such as neurological diseases or prostate issues, affecting the bladder's emptying.

Step-by-step explanation:

The assessment finding that would suggest a patient is experiencing urinary retention is A) The patient's suprapubic region is dull on percussion. This dullness indicates that the bladder may be distended with urine due to an inability to void properly. Generally, a dull sound on percussion in the suprapubic region is indicative of urine retention, as it suggests that the bladder is not emptying fully. This can be due to various causes, such as neurological conditions like Alzheimer's or Parkinson's disease, both of which can reduce the ability to empty the bladder and are more common among the elderly. Additionally, physiological factors like benign prostatic hypertrophy or previous medical conditions such as prostatitis could exacerbate this issue. On the other hand, symptoms like drowsiness, voiding large amounts of urine a few times daily, or taking beta-adrenergic blockers for hypertension may be related to other medical conditions and are not direct indicators of urinary retention.