Abdominal Quiz

Question 1

A patient is having difficulty swallowing meds and food, how should the nurse document this?

Answer 1

Dysphagia

Question 2

The nurse is percussing the 7th right intercostal space at the midclavicular line over the liver, what should the nurse hear?

Answer 2

Dullness

Question 3

What structure is located in the left lower quadrant of the abdomen

Answer 3

Sigmoid colon

Question 4

The nurse suspects a patient has a distended bladder, how should the nurse assess for this condition

Answer 4

Percuss and palpate the midline area above the suprapubic bone

Question 5

The nurse is aware that what change may occur in the GI system with aging?

Answer 5

Decreased gastric acid secretion

Question 6

A 22 year old male comes to the clinic for an exam after falling off his motorcycle and landing on his left side on the handle bars. The nurse suspects that he may have injured his spleen. Which of these assessments is for the spleen?

Answer 6

The spleen should not be palpated because it is easily ruptured

Question 7

A patient’s abdomen is bulging and stretched in appearance. How should the nurse document this finding?

Answer 7

Protuberant

Question 8

The nurse is describing a scaphoid abdomen. When assessing the contour of the abdomen from the rib margin to the pubic bone, what would the contour look like

Answer 8

Concave

Question 9

While examining a patient, the nurse observes abdominal pulsations between the xiphoid process and umbilicus. What does the nurse suspect?

Answer 9

Normal abdominal aortic pulsations

Question 10

A patient has hypoactive bowel sounds. What is a possible cause of this finding?

Answer 10

Peritonitis

Question 11

The nurse is watching a new graduate nurse perform auscultation of a patient’s abdomen. Which statement by the new graduate shows a correct understanding of the reason auscultation precedes percussion and palpation of the abdomen?

Answer 11

“Auscultation prevents distortion of bowel sounds that might occur after percussion and palpation”

Question 12

Are bowel sounds high or low pitched?

Answer 12

High

Question 13

Abdominalborborygmi is described as what?

Answer 13

Loud gurgling bowel sounds

Question 14

During an abdominal assessment, the nurse would consider which of these findings as normal?

a. Presence of a bruit in the femoral area
b. Tympanic percussion note in the umbilical region
C. Palpable spleen between the ninth and eleventh ribs in the left midaxillary line
d. Dull percussion note in the left upper quadrant at the midclavicular line

Answer 14

B

Question 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. Руrosis.
с. Dysphagia
d. Constipation.

Answer 15

B

Question 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.

Answer 16

C

Question 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.
с. Delayed gastrointestinal emptying time.
d. Increased gastrointestinal emptying time.

Answer 17

B

Question 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.
с. Kidney inflammation.
d. Spleen enlargement.

Answer 18

C

Question 19

A nurse notices that a patient has ascites, which indicates the presence of:
a. Fluid
b. Feces
с. Flatus.
d. Fibroid tumors.

Answer 19

A

Question 20

The nurse knows that during an abdominal assessment, deep palpation is used to determine:

a. Bowel motility.
b. Enlarged organs
с. Superficial tenderness.
d. Overall impression of skin surface and superficial musculature.

Answer 20

B

Question 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.

Answer 21

C

Question 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
с. Appendix
d. Gallbladder

Answer 22

C

Question 23

The nurse is assessing the abdomen of an older adult. Which statement regarding the older adult and abdominal assessment is true?

a. Abdominal tone is increased.
b. Abdominal musculature is thinner.
с. Abdominal rigidity with an acute abdominal condition is more common.
d. The older adult with an acute abdominal condition complains more about pain than the younger person.

Answer 23

B

Question 24

During an assessment of a newborn infant, the nurse recalls that pyloric stenosis would be exhibited by:

a. Projectile vomiting.
b. Hypoactive bowel activity.
с. Palpable olive-sized mass in the right lower quadrant.
d. Pronounced peristaltic waves crossing from right to left.

Answer 24

A

Question 25

The nurse is reviewing the assessment of an aortic aneurysm. Which of these statements is true regarding an aortic aneurysm?

a. A bruit is absent.
b. Femoral pulses are increased.
с. A pulsating mass is usually present.
d. Most are located below the umbilicus.

Answer 25

C

Question 26

During an abdominal assessment, the nurse is unable to hear bowel sounds in a patients abdomen. Before reporting this finding as silent bowel sounds, the nurse should listen for at least

a. 1 minute.
b. 5 minutes.
с. 10 minutes.
d. 2 minutes in each quadrant.

Answer 26

B

Question 27

A patient is suspected of having inflammation of the gallbladder, or cholecystitis. The nurse should conduct which of these techniques to assess for this condition?

a. Obturator test
b. Test for Murphy sign
с. Assess for rebound tenderness
d. Iliopsoas muscle test

Answer 27

B

Question 28

Just before going home, a new mother asks the nurse about the infants umbilical cord. Which of these statements is correct?

a. It should fall off in 10 to 14 days.
b. It will soften before it falls off.
с. It contains two veins and one artery.
d. Skin will cover the area within 1 week.

Answer 28

A

Question 29

Which of these percussion findings would the nurse expect to find in a patient with a large amount of ascites?

a. Dullness across the abdomen
b. Flatness in the right upper quadrant
с. Hyperresonance in the left upper quadrant
d. Tympany in the right and left lower quadrants

Answer 29

A

Question 30

A 40-year-old man states that his physician told him that has a hernia. He asks the nurse to explain what a hernia is. Which response by the nurse is appropriate?

a. No need to worry. Most men your age develop hernias.
b. A hernia is a loop of bowel protruding through a weak spot in the abdominal muscles.
с. A hernia is the result of prenatal growth abnormalities that are just now causing problems.
d. Ill have to have your physician explain this to you.

Answer 30

A

Question 31

A 40-year-old man states that his physician told him that has a hernia. He asks the nurse to explain what a hernia is. Which response by the nurse is appropriate?

a. No need to worry. Most men your age develop hernias.
b. A hernia is a loop of bowel protruding through a weak spot in the abdominal muscles.
с. A hernia is the result of prenatal growth abnormalities that are just now causing problems.
d. Ill have to have your physician explain this to you.

Answer 31

B

Question 32

A 45-year-old man is in the clinic for a physical examination. During the abdominal assessment, the nurse percusses the abdomen and notices an area of dullness above the right costal margin of approximately 11 cm. The nurse should:

a. Document the presence of hepatomegaly.
b. Ask additional health history questions regarding his alcohol intake.
с. Describe this dullness as indicative of an enlarged liver, and refer him to a physician.
d. Consider this finding as normal, and proceed with the examination.

Answer 32

D

Question 33

When palpating the abdomen of a 20-year-old patient, the nurse notices the presence of tenderness in the left upper quadrant with deep palpation. Which of these structures is most likely to be involved?

a. Spleen
b. Sigmoid colon
с. Appendix
d. Gallbladder

Answer 33

A

Question 34

The nurse is reviewing statistics for lactose intolerance. In the United States, the incidence of lactose intolerance is higher in adults of which ethnic group?

a. Blacks
b. Hispanics
с. Whites
d. Asians

Answer 34

A

Question 35

The nurse is assessing a patient for possible peptic ulcer disease. Which condition or history often causes this problem?

a. Нуpertension
b. Streptococcal infections
с. Recurrent constipation with frequent laxative use
d. Frequent use of nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs

Answer 35

D

Question 36

During reporting, the student nurse hears that a patient has hepatomegaly and recognizes that this term refers to:

а. Enlarged liver.
b. Enlarged spleen.
с. Distended bowel.
d. Excessive diarrhea

Answer 36

A

Question 37

During an assessment, the nurse notices that a patients umbilicus is enlarged and everted. It is positioned midline with no change in skin color. The nurse recognizes that the patient may have which condition?

a. Intra-abdominal bleeding
b. Constipation
с. Umbilical hernia
d. Abdominal tumor

Answer 37

C

Question 38

During an abdominal assessment, the nurse tests for a fluid wave. A positive fluid wave test occurs with:

a. Splenomegaly
b. Distended bladder.
с. Constipation.
d. Ascites.

Answer 38

D

Question 39

The nurse is preparing to examine a patient who has been complaining of right lower quadrant pain. Which technique is correct during the assessment? The nurse should:

a. Examine the tender area first.
b. Examine the tender area last.
c. Avoid palpating the tender area.
d. Palpate the tender area first, and then auscultate for bowel sounds.

Answer 39

B

Question 40

During a health history, the patient tells the nurse, I have pain all the time in my stomach. Its worse 2 hours after I eat, but it gets better if I eat again! Based on these symptoms, the nurse suspects that the patient has which condition?

a. Appendicitis
b. Gastric ulcer
c. Duodenal ulcer
d. Cholecystitis

Answer 40

C

Question 41

The nurse suspects that a patient has appendicitis. Which of these procedures are appropriate for use when assessing for appendicitis or a perforated appendix? Select all that apply.

a. Test for the Murphy sign
b. Test for the Blumberg sign
с. Test for shifting dullness
d. Perform the iliopsoas muscle test
e. Test for fluid wave

Answer 41

B, D