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1. Assessment of the Abdomen and Gastrointestinal System Essay
Assessment of the Abdomen and Gastrointestinal System EssayAssessment of the Abdomen
and Gastrointestinal System EssayAdditional subjective history should be assessed by
asking specific, focused assessment questions that point out the possible changes in the
client’s digestion, appetite, and bowel movements, including the color, consistency,
frequency, and regularity. Further questions include cases of bloody stools, exacerbation of
abdominal pain, and rectal bleeding. Additional questions should also determine if the
patient experienced any fever and chills, malaise or fatigue that can be associated with
nausea and diarrhea. The assessment should focus on identifying if the patient has
experienced any changes, either positive or negative, within one year. Such questions are
critical during the review of the patient’s system.The patient’s objective health history is
essential and should focus on collecting vital signs, physical assessment findings, the overall
assessment of the patient, and the lab diagnostics findings. The objective should also focus
on determining the characteristics of the abdomen and establish its status, i.e., whether it is
flat or obese, distended, or non-distended. Additional assessment should also be performed
on the patient’s mucous membranes to identify if they exhibit any dryness which is an
indication of dehydration given that the patient has diarrhea and nausea but without
vomiting.Based on the assessment note, as well as the additional information provided in
the objective, the client exhibits apparent symptoms of gastroenteritis. These symptoms
may include abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fever, and hearing hyperactive
bowel sounds on auscultation (Dains, Baumann, and Scheibel, 2019). Based on the
assessment of diarrhea accompanied by a fever of 99.8 temperature, the information
confirms that the client has an infection.Further diagnostic tests are recommended to get a
better diagnosis. These tests include the fecal occult blood test/Hemoccult test, stool
culture, endoscopy, computed tomography scanning, leukocytes, and biopsy (Dains,
Baumann, and Scheibel, 2019; Colyar, 2015). The Hemoccult test can be used to rule out
bloody stool, while leukocytes will screen for inflammatory diarrhea. Positive results on
both the Hemoccult test and leukocytes would confirm the diagnosis of inflammatory
diarrhea. A stool culture would help in identifying and isolating pathogens that will be
useful in determining the exact diagnosis and the appropriate drugs for specific macro-
organisms. Performing an endoscopy is essential in the diagnosis of acute diarrhea, and the
findings will confirm if it is non-infection acute diarrhea, including cancer, inflammatory
bowel disease or ischemic colitis. The computed tomography scan will be used to rule out
other causes that may imitate diverticulitis, given the patient’s left lower quadrant pain

2. (Dains, Baumann, and Scheibel, 2019). Therefore, the current diagnosis cannot be accepted
as the final diagnosis.ORDER NOW FOR ORIGINAL, PLAGIARISM-FREE PAPERSThe current
diagnosis is acceptable as a likely differential diagnosis, with more diagnostic tests
recommended to achieve a more definitive concluding diagnosis. Additional tests and
evaluations recommended include diverticulitis, bowelCancer, Ulcerative colitis, and
Crohn’s disease.• Diverticulitis: It is the most common cause of left lower quadrant pain. Its
clinical symptoms include left lower-quadrant pain, nausea and vomiting, and fever
(Hammond, Nikolaidis, & Miller, 2010). • Bowel cancer: Colon/Bowel cancer is selected
because of the patient’s abdominal pain and the likely changes in the client’s stool due to
diarrhea and as well as the presence of blood in the feces. Some of the common symptoms
of bowel cancer include rectal bleeding, abdominal pain, loss of weight, loss of appetite,
changes in bowel movement, and fatigue (Walter et al., 2016).• Ulcerative colitis: Ulcerative
colitis is a disease associated with the inflammation of the colon, the rectum or both, and
causes rectal bleeding tenesmus, and the passage of mucus. Other symptoms include
abdominal crampingand diarrhea caused by increased colon involvement (Dains, Baumann,
and Scheibel, 2019).• Crohn’s disease: Crohn disease is a disease associated with the
inflammation of the digestive tract. Some of the clinical signs include abdominal cramping,
tenderness, rectal bleeding, and diarrhea (Dains, Baumann, and Scheibel, 2019). It is also
associated with chronic bloody diarrhea, fever, and weight loss.ReferencesColyar, M. R.
(2015). Advanced practice nursing procedures. Philadelphia, PA: F. A. Davis.Dains, J. E.,
Baumann, L. C., & Scheibel, P. (2019). Advanced health assessment and clinical diagnosis in
primary care (6th ed.). St. Louis, MO: Elsevier Mosby.Hammond, N. A., Nikolaidis, P., &
Miller, F. H. (2010). Left lower quadrant pain: guidelines from the American College of
Radiology appropriateness criteria.American family physician,82(7), 766-770.Walter, F. M.,
Emery, J. D., Mendonca, S., Hall, N., Morris, H. C., Mills, K., … & Rutter, M. D. (2016).
Symptoms and patient factors associated with longer time to diagnosis for colorectal
cancer: results from a prospective cohort study.British journal of cancer,115(5), 533.
Assessment of the Abdomen and Gastrointestinal System Essay