A client who was recently diagnosed with anemia and rheumatoid arthrit

A client who was recently diagnosed with anemia and rheumatoid arthritis reports to the nurse that she has noticed that her stool is black, and she is concerned because there is a history of co-lon cancer in her family.

Which of the following assessment questions is most likely to provide information regarding this client’s bowel problem?
1. “What medications are you currently on?”
2. “When did you have your last colonoscopy?”
3. “Does the arthritis severely impair your mobility?”
4. “Would you like to have the stool tested for occult blood?”

ANSWER

ANS: 1
Ingestion of iron, commonly prescribed for certain types of anemia, causes discoloration of the stool (black), nausea, vomiting, constipation (diarrhea is less commonly reported), and abdominal cramps. The remaining options, although focusing on aspects of function that could result in con-stipation, are not focused on the most likely cause in this scenario.