1. The nurse is percussing the seventh right intercostal space at the midclavicular line over the liver. Which sound should the nurse expect to hear? a. Dullness b. Tympany c. Resonance d. Hyperresonance
ANS: A
2. Which structure is located in the left lower quadrant of the abdomen? a. Liver b. Duodenum c. Gallbladder d. Sigmoid colon
ANS: D
3. A patient is having difficulty swallowing medications and food. The nurse would document that this patient has: a. Aphasia. b. Dysphasia. c. Dysphagia. d. Anorexia.
ANS: C
ANS: D
5. The nurse is aware that one change that may occur in the gastrointestinal system of an aging adult is: a. Increased salivation. b. Increased liver size. c. Increased esophageal emptying. d. Decreased gastric acid secretion.
ANS: D
ANS: D
7. A patient’s abdomen is bulging and stretched in appearance. The nurse should describe this finding as: a. Obese. b. Herniated. c. Scaphoid. d. Protuberant.
ANS: D
8. The nurse is describing a scaphoid abdomen. To the horizontal plane, a scaphoid contour of the abdomen depicts a \_\_\_\_\_\_ profile. a. Flat b. Convex c. Bulging d. Concave
ANS: D
9. While examining a patient, the nurse observes abdominal pulsations between the xiphoid process and umbilicus. The nurse would suspect that these are: a. Pulsations of the renal arteries. b. Pulsations of the inferior vena cava. c. Normal abdominal aortic pulsations. d. Increased peristalsis from a bowel obstruction.
ANS: C
10. A patient has hypoactive bowel sounds. The nurse knows that a potential cause of hypoactive bowel sounds is: a. Diarrhea. b. Peritonitis. c. Laxative use. d. Gastroenteritis.
ANS: B
ANS: B
ANS: B
13. The physician comments that a patient has abdominal borborygmi. The nurse knows that this term refers to: a. Loud continual hum. b. Peritoneal friction rub. c. Hypoactive bowel sounds. d. Hyperactive bowel sounds.
ANS: D
ANS: B
15. The nurse is assessing the abdomen of a pregnant woman who is complaining of having “acid indigestion” all the time. The nurse knows that esophageal reflux during pregnancy can cause: a. Diarrhea. b. Pyrosis. c. Dysphagia. d. Constipation.
ANS: B
16. The nurse is performing percussion during an abdominal assessment. Percussion notes heard during the abdominal assessment may include: a. Flatness, resonance, and dullness. b. Resonance, dullness, and tympany. c. Tympany, hyperresonance, and dullness. d. Resonance, hyperresonance, and flatness.
ANS: C
17. An older patient has been diagnosed with pernicious anemia. The nurse knows that this condition could be related to: a. Increased gastric acid secretion. b. Decreased gastric acid secretion. c. Delayed gastrointestinal emptying time. d. Increased gastrointestinal emptying time.
ANS: B
18. A patient is complaining of a sharp pain along the costovertebral angles. The nurse is aware that this symptom is most often indicative of: a. Ovary infection. b. Liver enlargement. c. Kidney inflammation. d. Spleen enlargement.
ANS: C
19. A nurse notices that a patient has ascites, which indicates the presence of: a. Fluid. b. Feces. c. Flatus. d. Fibroid tumors.
ANS: A
20. The nurse knows that during an abdominal assessment, deep palpation is used to determine: a. Bowel motility. b. Enlarged organs. c. Superficial tenderness. d. Overall impression of skin surface and superficial musculature.
ANS: B
21. The nurse notices that a patient has had a black, tarry stool and recalls that a possible cause would be: a. Gallbladder disease. b. Overuse of laxatives. c. Gastrointestinal bleeding. d. Localized bleeding around the anus.
ANS: C
22. During an abdominal assessment, the nurse elicits tenderness on light palpation in the right lower quadrant. The nurse interprets that this finding could indicate a disorder of which of these structures? a. Spleen b. Sigmoid c. Appendix d. Gallbladder
ANS: C
ANS: B
ANS: A