Question

A hospitalized client is complaining of abdominal pain that has developed since admission. The nurse says, I am going to call the hospitalist. How should the client interpret this statement?

1. The nurse is going to call the medical intern to assess the client.
2. The nurse is going to call the clients physicians on-call group.
3. The nurse is going to call a physician who cares for inpatients.
4. The nurse is going to call the emergency department and request that a physician see this client.

Answer 1

The nurse is indicating they will call a hospitalist, who is a physician that specializes in the care of hospitalized patients, to assess the client's abdominal pain.

Step-by-step explanation:

When the nurse says they are going to call the hospitalist, the client should interpret this statement as the nurse intending to call a physician whose practice is focused on the care of hospitalized patients. This means they specialize in managing the care of inpatients and making decisions regarding their treatment while they are admitted to the hospital. The correct interpretation of the nurse's statement is that a physician who cares for inpatients will be called to assess the client's new onset of abdominal pain.