Question

The nurse is preparing to care for a child with a diagnosis of intussussception. The nurse receives the childs record and expects to note which sign of this disorder documented?

1. Watery Diarrhea
2. Ribbon-like stools
3. Profuse projectile vomiting
4. Bright red blood and mucous in the stools.

Answer 1

For a child with intussusception, a nurse would expect to note 'Ribbon-like stools' as a documented sign, reflecting the intestinal blockage and characteristic change in stool shape due to this serious condition.

Step-by-step explanation:

The nurse caring for a child with a diagnosis of intussusception would expect to note a sign of this disorder as ribbon-like stools or more formally, stools that are narrow and similar in appearance to ribbons. Intussusception is a serious condition in which part of the intestine slides into an adjacent part of the intestine, which can lead to a blockage. This can cause the intestine to fold in on itself like a telescope, and as a result, the passage of the stools can be markedly changed, leading to a characteristic ribbon-like shape. This differs from symptoms of gastrointestinal infections or intoxications, which commonly include watery diarrhoea, nausea, vomiting, and possibly abdominal pain. Therefore, the expected sign documented in the child's record for intussusception would be option 2, Ribbon-like stools.