ESTUDYR
NCLEX-RN CASE STUDY: SMALL BOWEL OBSTRUCTION
(SBO)
Client Scenario
1400 Nurses' Notes:
A 62-year-old female with a history of multiple abdominal surgeries for endometriosis
presents to the Emergency Department. She reports "crampy" abdominal pain that comes in
waves and has vomited four times in the last three hours. The vomitus is described as "fecal-
smelling" and green. She states she has not had a bowel movement or passed gas in 48
hours.
Physical Assessment:
Abdominal: Significant distention noted. High-pitched, "tinkling" bowel sounds are
heard in the upper quadrants, while bowel sounds are absent in the lower
quadrants.
Vital Signs: BP 106/64, HR 108, RR 22, Temp 100.2°F.
Pain: 8/10 on a numeric scale.
Item 1: Recognizing Cues (Visual/Diagram)
Question: The nurse reviews the common causes of mechanical bowel obstructions. Which
diagram correctly identifies the most likely cause for this client based on her surgical
history?
NCLEX-RN CASE STUDY: SMALL BOWEL OBSTRUCTION
(SBO)
Client Scenario
1400 Nurses' Notes:
A 62-year-old female with a history of multiple abdominal surgeries for endometriosis
presents to the Emergency Department. She reports "crampy" abdominal pain that comes in
waves and has vomited four times in the last three hours. The vomitus is described as "fecal-
smelling" and green. She states she has not had a bowel movement or passed gas in 48
hours.
Physical Assessment:
Abdominal: Significant distention noted. High-pitched, "tinkling" bowel sounds are
heard in the upper quadrants, while bowel sounds are absent in the lower
quadrants.
Vital Signs: BP 106/64, HR 108, RR 22, Temp 100.2°F.
Pain: 8/10 on a numeric scale.
Item 1: Recognizing Cues (Visual/Diagram)
Question: The nurse reviews the common causes of mechanical bowel obstructions. Which
diagram correctly identifies the most likely cause for this client based on her surgical
history?
