Word parts
What it means
The word for anything about the digestive tract: the mouth, esophagusih-SOF-uh-gusThe muscular tube that carries food and liquid from the throat to the stomach.esophag/o esophagusFull entry , stomach, small intestine, large intestine, rectumREK-tumThe last part of the large intestine, between the colon and the anus, where stool is held until it leaves the body.Full entry and anus. Nurses speak of GI symptoms (nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation), GI bleeding and the GI tract. The short form GI is used in charts and orders all the time.
For the nurse
A GI assessment covers appetite, nausea, bowel sounds, the abdomen (soft or firm, tender or not), and bowel movements: when, how often and what they look like. Black, tarry stools or vomit that looks like coffee grounds can mean bleeding in the upper GI tract and are reported.
In a chart
"Client reports GI upset after taking ibuprofen on an empty stomach."
At a glance
| Abbreviations | GI |
|---|---|
| Everyday words | digestive, to do with the stomach and bowels |
| Spanish | gastrointestinal |
| Also written | GI |
Related terms
diarrhea
Loose or watery stools, usually three or more times a day or more often than normal for the person.
nausea
An uneasy feeling in the stomach with the urge to vomit.
constipation
Bowel movements that happen less often than usual, with hard, dry stool that is difficult to pass.
gastr/o
A word part that means stomach.