Which nursing assessment best evaluates the effectiveness of esomeprazole for a burn patient?

To evaluate the effectiveness of esomeprazole in a burn patient, assessing stools for occult blood is particularly relevant. Esomeprazole is a proton pump inhibitor that reduces gastric acid secretion. In burn patients, gastric mucosal integrity is often compromised due to stress and potential implications of hypersecretion of gastric acid, leading to an increased risk of gastrointestinal bleeding.

Testing stools for occult blood helps identify any underlying bleeding in the gastrointestinal tract, which can be a significant concern in this patient population. If esomeprazole is effective, the reduction of gastric acidity should help protect the gastric mucosa and reduce the instances of ulceration and potential bleeding. Therefore, the presence of occult blood in the stools would indicate that esomeprazole may not be effectively preventing or healing gastric ulcers, while a negative result would suggest that the medication is doing its job in protecting the gastrointestinal lining.

Bowel sounds, stool frequency, and abdominal distention provide general information about gastrointestinal function but do not directly assess the effects of esomeprazole on gastric mucosal protection. Thus, evaluating stools for occult blood is the most pertinent assessment for determining the effectiveness of esomeprazole in this context.