HS, an otherwise healthy 45-year-old African American male, had been treated for months with a diagnosis of GERD and gastritis

HS, an otherwise healthy 45-year-old African American male, had been treated for months with a diagnosis of GERD and gastritis. As the symptoms continued to progress with the current treatment, HS received a second opinion and was diagnosed with colon cancer. HS proceeded with surgery and the surgery went well, the biopsies came back that the margins were clear, and the cancer had been removed. Not long after, HS complained of excruciating pain to the assigned nurse. HS was told to relax because “he’d just had abdominal surgery and it was gas pains and/or bad indigestion.”

Questions:

1.) What questions would the APRN ask to obtain more details about this patient’s complaint?

2.) Which body systems would be examined by the APRN to provide HS with an explanation of his pain?

3.) What other concerns would you have for this patient that had just had surgery?

4.) Would additional labs and imaging be appropriate? If so, what would you order and why?