Key Concepts

This chapter includes much-needed information to help the nurse apply knowledge of gastrointestinal disorders to the NCLEX exam. The nurse preparing for the licensure exam should be familiar with commonly ordered lab tests, including normal lab values, and medications used to treat the client with gastrointestinal disorders.

Key Terms

• Alopecia

• Anorexia

• Ascites

• Asphyxiation

• Asterixis

• Cullen’s sign

• Dyspepsia

• Dysphagia

• Eructation

• Evisceration

• Extrapyramidal

• Fetor hepaticus

• Flatulence

• Hememesis

• Hepatic coma

• Hepatomegaly

• Intermittent tenesmus

• Jaundice

• Malaise

• Melena

• Neutropenia

• Odynophagia

• Polyarthralgia

• Rovsing’s sign

• Splenomegaly

• Steatorrhea

• Tardive dyskinesia

• Thrombocytopenia

• Turner’s sign