Difficulty: Medium
Average Score: 86%
Simulated
The nurse is caring for a patient who had a colostomy placed yesterday. The nurse should report which assessment finding immediately?
Correct answer
A
Rationale
The correct answer is A: Stoma is purple. A purple stoma indicates poor blood flow, which can be a sign of ischemia or necrosis. This is a medical emergency requiring immediate intervention to prevent tissue damage. Moist stoma (choice B) is normal. Flush stoma (choice C) indicates proper fit of the appliance. Protruding stoma (choice D) is also normal.