Which symptom will a nurse observe most commonly in clients with pancreatitis?

Which symptom will a nurse observe most commonly in clients with pancreatitis?

• A. Increased and painful urination
• B. Black, tarry stools and dark urine
• C. Severe, radiating abdominal pain
• D. Increased appetite and weight gain

Answer: (C)

Pain is the main signal of pancreatitis. The inflammation and autodigestion of pancreatic tissue stretch the capsule and irritate surrounding areas, producing a sudden, severe, steady abdominal pain that is most often felt in the upper abdomen and commonly radiates to the back. This pain is typically persistent and may worsen after meals as secretions stimulate the inflamed pancreas. Nausea, vomiting, abdominal tenderness, and dehydration often accompany it, but the hallmark observed by clinicians is the intense, radiating abdominal pain. Other options don’t fit the pattern: urinary symptoms aren’t a typical feature, black, tarry stools and very dark urine suggest GI bleeding or biliary obstruction rather than classic pancreatitis pain, and increased appetite with weight gain is not characteristic (weight loss from malabsorption and reduced intake is more common).

Pain is the main signal of pancreatitis. The inflammation and autodigestion of pancreatic tissue stretch the capsule and irritate surrounding areas, producing a sudden, severe, steady abdominal pain that is most often felt in the upper abdomen and commonly radiates to the back. This pain is typically persistent and may worsen after meals as secretions stimulate the inflamed pancreas. Nausea, vomiting, abdominal tenderness, and dehydration often accompany it, but the hallmark observed by clinicians is the intense, radiating abdominal pain. Other options don’t fit the pattern: urinary symptoms aren’t a typical feature, black, tarry stools and very dark urine suggest GI bleeding or biliary obstruction rather than classic pancreatitis pain, and increased appetite with weight gain is not characteristic (weight loss from malabsorption and reduced intake is more common).