Question

A client with a history of Crohn's disease develops an intestinal obstruction. An enteric catheter is inserted and connected to low continuous suction. The nurse monitors the client for fluid volume deficit. What clinical finding does the nurse expect if the client becomes dehydrated?

1 Restlessness
2 Constipation
3 Inelastic tissue turgor
4 Increased blood pressure

Answer 1

The nurse should expect inelastic tissue turgor as a clinical finding if the client with Crohn's disease becomes dehydrated due to loss of fluids through the enteral catheter.

Step-by-step explanation:

When monitoring a client with Crohn's disease who has developed an intestinal obstruction and is connected to an enteral catheter with low continuous suction, the nurse should be vigilant for signs of dehydration. One clinical finding of dehydration is inelastic tissue turgor. This occurs due to a fluid volume deficit that can happen when fluids and electrolytes are lost through the catheter. Another symptom of dehydration that may be observed is low blood pressure (hypotension), resulting from the decreased blood volume. Restlessness can be a sign of dehydration as well due to neurological impacts, but inelastic tissue turgor is a more direct clinical sign, hence, the expected finding in this case would be inelastic tissue turgor.