Question 1

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

Accepted Answer

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."
C)   "A hernia is the result of prenatal growth abnormalities that are just now causing problems."
D)   "I'll have to have your physician explain this to you." B

Question 2

During the change-of-shift report, the student nurse hears that a patient has hepatomegaly. What should the student recognizes that this term means?

Accepted Answer

A)   Enlarged liver
B)   Enlarged spleen
C)   Distended bowel
D)   Excessive diarrhea A

Question 3

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. How should the nurse proceed?

Accepted Answer

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

Question 4

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

Accepted Answer

A)   Abdominal tone is increased.
B)   Abdominal musculature is thinner.
C)   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.

Question 5

During a health history, the patient tells the nurse, "I have pain all the time in my stomach. It's 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?

Accepted Answer

A)   Appendicitis
B)   Gastric ulcer
C)   Duodenal ulcer
D)   Cholecystitis

Question 6

The nurse suspects that a patient has a distended bladder. How should the nurse assess for this condition?

Accepted Answer

A)   Percuss and palpate in the lumbar region
B)   Inspect and palpate in the epigastric region
C)   Auscultate and percuss in the inguinal region
D)   Percuss and palpate the midline area above the suprapubic bone

Question 7

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?

Accepted Answer

A)   Obturator test
B)   Test for Murphy sign
C)   Iliopsoas muscle test
D)   Assess for rebound tenderness

Question 8

A patient is having difficulty swallowing medications and food. How should the nurse document this?

Accepted Answer

A)   Aphasia
B)   Anorexia
C)   Dysphasia
D)   Dysphagia

Question 9

During an assessment of a newborn infant, the nurse suspects the infant has pyloric stenosis. What finding would cause the nurse to suspect this?

Accepted Answer

A)   Projectile vomiting
B)   Hypoactive bowel activity
C)   Palpable olive-sized mass in the right lower quadrant
D)   Pronounced peristaltic waves crossing from right to left

Question 10

The nurse is percussing the seventh right intercostal space at the midclavicular line over the liver. Which sound should the nurse expect to hear?

Accepted Answer

A)   Tympany
B)   Dullness
C)   Resonance
D)   Hyperresonance

Question 11

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

Accepted Answer

A)   "It should fall off in 10 to 14 days."
B)   "It will soften before it falls off."
C)   "It contains two veins and one artery."
D)   "Skin will cover the area within 1 week."

Question 12

The nurse notices that a patient has had a black, tarry stool. What should the nurse recognize may cause this finding?

Accepted Answer

A)   Gallbladder disease
B)   Overuse of laxatives
C)   Gastrointestinal bleeding
D)   Localized bleeding around the anus

Question 13

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?

Accepted Answer

A)   Flat
B)   Convex
C)   Bulging
D)   Concave

Question 14

A patient is reporting sharp pain along the costovertebral angles. What does this symptom most often indicate?

Accepted Answer

A)   Ovarian infection
B)   Liver enlargement
C)   Spleen enlargement
D)   Kidney inflammation

Question 15

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?

Accepted Answer

A)   Spleen
B)   Appendix
C)   Gallbladder
D)   Sigmoid colon

Question 16

A nurse notices that a patient has abdominal ascites. What does this finding indicate?

Accepted Answer

A)   Flatus
B)   Fibroid tumors
C)   Presence of feces
D)   Presence of fluid

Question 17

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

Accepted Answer

A)   Obese
B)   Scaphoid
C)   Herniated
D)   Protuberant

Question 18

The nurse is reviewing information on lactose intolerance and learned that in some racial groups lactase activity (ability to digest and absorb lactose) is high at birth but declines to low levels by adulthood. Which ethnic group has the highest potential for lactose-intolerance symptoms in adulthood?

Accepted Answer

A)   Asians
B)   African Americans
C)   White Americans
D)   American Indians

Question 19

During an abdominal assessment, the nurse elicits tenderness on light palpation in the right lower quadrant. The nurse recognizes this finding could indicate a problem with what structure?

Accepted Answer

A)   Spleen
B)   Sigmoid
C)   Appendix
D)   Gallbladder

Question 20

The physician comments that a patient has abdominal borborygmi. What is the best description of this term?

Accepted Answer

A)   Hypoactive bowel sounds
B)   A peritoneal friction rub
C)   Loud gurgling bowel sounds
D)   Loud continual humming bowel sounds

Exam 22: Abdomen