2024 PN NCLEX Questions Nursing Practice Question
A healthcare professional reviewing a client's record notes documentation that the client has melena. How does the healthcare professional detect the presence of melena?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Melena refers to the passage of black, tarry stools, indicating the presence of digested blood, typically from upper gastrointestinal bleeding. Thus, checking the client’s stool for blood is the most direct method to detect melena.
Option A is incorrect because urine is not involved in the detection of melena; it would be relevant for hematuria, not melena. Option C is also incorrect; a decrease in urine output does not specifically indicate melena and can result from various conditions. Option D is misleading, as diarrhea does not specifically relate to the detection of melena and does not provide information about the presence of blood in the stool.