Question

A nurse is teaching a client who is scheduled for a vanillylmandelic acid test to screen for pheochromocytoma. Which of the following statements should the nurse include in the teaching?

1) The test measures the levels of vanillylmandelic acid in the urine.
2) The test is used to diagnose pheochromocytoma.
3) The client should avoid certain foods and medications before the test.
4) The test is performed by collecting a blood sample.

Answer 1

The vanillylmandelic acid test involves measuring vanillylmandelic acid in urine and is used to diagnose pheochromocytoma; clients should avoid certain foods and medications before the test. This urine test typically requires a 24-hour collection of urine samples, and it is not a blood test.

Step-by-step explanation:

When teaching a client who is scheduled for a vanillylmandelic acid test, a nurse should include the following statements:

• The test measures the levels of vanillylmandelic acid in the urine.
• The test is used to diagnose pheochromocytoma, a tumor of the adrenal medulla that causes excessive production of catecholamines resulting in hypertension.
• The client should avoid certain foods and medications before the test since they can affect the outcome of the test results. For instance, certain foods and medications can impact the levels of hormones or other substances in the body, leading to inaccurate test results.
• The vanillylmandelic acid test is indeed a urine test, not a blood test, so the fourth statement that it is performed by collecting a blood sample is incorrect.

Typically, such urine tests require the client to collect urine over a period, often 24 hours, to measure the levels of various substances that are indicators of specific conditions. It is crucial that patients are properly educated on how to collect the urine samples and any preparatory steps they need to take.