NUR 643E ADVANCED HEALTH ASSESSMENT FINAL EXAM QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS | NUR 643E ADVANCED HEALTH ASSESSMENT FINAL
EXAM STUDY GUIDE & PRACTICE TEST 2026/2027
What are the parts of the large intestine? - Correct answer ✔✔ Cecum
Ascending colon
Transverse colon
Descending colon (sigmoid, rectum, anal)
In what part of the digestive system are fats and proteins broken down? - Correct answer ✔✔
The stomach - uses HCL and enzymes
What lines the surface of the small intestine to help absorb nutrients? - Correct answer ✔✔ Villi
What are the parts of the small intestine? - Correct answer ✔✔ duodenum, jejunum, ileum
What are the parts of the stomach? - Correct answer ✔✔ The fundus, antrum and the body
What is peristalsis? - Correct answer ✔✔ The sequential autonomic muscular contractions that
move nutrients along the digestive tract
What part of the digestive system is responsible absorbing water, lubricating contents, and
putrefaction? - Correct answer ✔✔ Large intestine
What is putrefaction? - Correct answer ✔✔ Changes produced by action of bacteria and
microorganisms to decompose undigested food, unabsorbed animo acids, cell debris, and dead
bacteria
,What is the function of the gallbladder? - Correct answer ✔✔ Concentrates and stores bile
What abdominal organ has both exocrine and endocrine functions? What are the functions? -
Correct answer ✔✔ Exocrine - produces digestive enzymes
Endocrine - produces insulin
What is the function of the spleen? - Correct answer ✔✔ Filter blood and help fight infections
What abdominal organ(s) is located in the retroperitoneum? - Correct answer ✔✔ Kidneys
What part of the social history do you always want to make sure you ask about when assessing
and abdominal complaint? - Correct answer ✔✔ Alcohol use/abuse
When you are palpating your patient's abdomen where do you want to look for clues to the
severity of their pain? - Correct answer ✔✔ Their face
What is pyrosis? - Correct answer ✔✔ Heartburn
What type of disease is IBS, generally? - Correct answer ✔✔ Functional
45 y/o female presents to your office complaining of achey, burning epigastric pain, especially
after she eats. Your cardiac workup is negative. What is high on your differential? What lifestyle
modifications do you suggest? - Correct answer ✔✔ GERD
Stay sitting up after eating
Wait a few hours after eating to go to sleep
Avoid spicy foods, chocolate, caffeine, acidic foods, etc
,Your patient comes in with loss of appetite for the last few weeks. What chronic medical disease
do you want to keep on your differential? - Correct answer ✔✔ Malignancy
Proton pump inhibitors can increase the risk of what infectious disease? - Correct answer ✔✔ C.
dif
When you are working up a patient with a chief complaint of nausea what do you want to ask
them? - Correct answer ✔✔ Pregnant?
When nauseous?
Have you taken anything?
Vomiting?
Relationship to food?
Bowel changes?
Taking medications?
PMS?
Your patient presents to your office - Correct answer ✔✔
What does projectile vomiting in an adult make you think? - Correct answer ✔✔ Increased
intracranial pressure
You are seeing a patient in your office and he tells you he has been having long, skinny stools.
What are you worried about? - Correct answer ✔✔ Intestinal obstruction
Malignancy?
What does fatty stool indicate? - Correct answer ✔✔ Malabsorption
, What do clay colored stools indicate? - Correct answer ✔✔ Hepatobiliary obstruction
What common medications can cause constipation? - Correct answer ✔✔ 5-HT3 receptor
antagonists (Ondansetron); Antacids; Anticholinergics; Antidepressants; Antihistamines;
Anticonvulsants; CCB; Clonidine; Calcium supplements; Diuretics; Iron supplements; Levodopa;
Narcotics; NSAIDs; Psychotropics; Sympathomimetics
What are you worried about in older, younger, and immunocompromised patients with
diarrhea? - Correct answer ✔✔ Dehydration --> electrolyte imbalances
What is dysuria? - Correct answer ✔✔ Painful or difficult urination
What do you want to warn your patient of before starting him on a laxative? - Correct answer
✔✔ Can develop a dependency due to decreased intestinal tone
Your patient tells you he has been having dark tarry stools. What medication do you want to ask
about? - Correct answer ✔✔ Iron supplement
What is familial mediterranean fever? - Correct answer ✔✔ Inherited condition characterized
by recurrent episodes of painful inflammation in the abdomen, chest, or joints
When you are prepping your patient for an abdominal exam what do you want to tell them to
do? - Correct answer ✔✔ Empty their bladder
When you are performing an abdominal exam where do you want to stand in relation to your
patient? - Correct answer ✔✔ On the patient's right side
AND ANSWERS | NUR 643E ADVANCED HEALTH ASSESSMENT FINAL
EXAM STUDY GUIDE & PRACTICE TEST 2026/2027
What are the parts of the large intestine? - Correct answer ✔✔ Cecum
Ascending colon
Transverse colon
Descending colon (sigmoid, rectum, anal)
In what part of the digestive system are fats and proteins broken down? - Correct answer ✔✔
The stomach - uses HCL and enzymes
What lines the surface of the small intestine to help absorb nutrients? - Correct answer ✔✔ Villi
What are the parts of the small intestine? - Correct answer ✔✔ duodenum, jejunum, ileum
What are the parts of the stomach? - Correct answer ✔✔ The fundus, antrum and the body
What is peristalsis? - Correct answer ✔✔ The sequential autonomic muscular contractions that
move nutrients along the digestive tract
What part of the digestive system is responsible absorbing water, lubricating contents, and
putrefaction? - Correct answer ✔✔ Large intestine
What is putrefaction? - Correct answer ✔✔ Changes produced by action of bacteria and
microorganisms to decompose undigested food, unabsorbed animo acids, cell debris, and dead
bacteria
,What is the function of the gallbladder? - Correct answer ✔✔ Concentrates and stores bile
What abdominal organ has both exocrine and endocrine functions? What are the functions? -
Correct answer ✔✔ Exocrine - produces digestive enzymes
Endocrine - produces insulin
What is the function of the spleen? - Correct answer ✔✔ Filter blood and help fight infections
What abdominal organ(s) is located in the retroperitoneum? - Correct answer ✔✔ Kidneys
What part of the social history do you always want to make sure you ask about when assessing
and abdominal complaint? - Correct answer ✔✔ Alcohol use/abuse
When you are palpating your patient's abdomen where do you want to look for clues to the
severity of their pain? - Correct answer ✔✔ Their face
What is pyrosis? - Correct answer ✔✔ Heartburn
What type of disease is IBS, generally? - Correct answer ✔✔ Functional
45 y/o female presents to your office complaining of achey, burning epigastric pain, especially
after she eats. Your cardiac workup is negative. What is high on your differential? What lifestyle
modifications do you suggest? - Correct answer ✔✔ GERD
Stay sitting up after eating
Wait a few hours after eating to go to sleep
Avoid spicy foods, chocolate, caffeine, acidic foods, etc
,Your patient comes in with loss of appetite for the last few weeks. What chronic medical disease
do you want to keep on your differential? - Correct answer ✔✔ Malignancy
Proton pump inhibitors can increase the risk of what infectious disease? - Correct answer ✔✔ C.
dif
When you are working up a patient with a chief complaint of nausea what do you want to ask
them? - Correct answer ✔✔ Pregnant?
When nauseous?
Have you taken anything?
Vomiting?
Relationship to food?
Bowel changes?
Taking medications?
PMS?
Your patient presents to your office - Correct answer ✔✔
What does projectile vomiting in an adult make you think? - Correct answer ✔✔ Increased
intracranial pressure
You are seeing a patient in your office and he tells you he has been having long, skinny stools.
What are you worried about? - Correct answer ✔✔ Intestinal obstruction
Malignancy?
What does fatty stool indicate? - Correct answer ✔✔ Malabsorption
, What do clay colored stools indicate? - Correct answer ✔✔ Hepatobiliary obstruction
What common medications can cause constipation? - Correct answer ✔✔ 5-HT3 receptor
antagonists (Ondansetron); Antacids; Anticholinergics; Antidepressants; Antihistamines;
Anticonvulsants; CCB; Clonidine; Calcium supplements; Diuretics; Iron supplements; Levodopa;
Narcotics; NSAIDs; Psychotropics; Sympathomimetics
What are you worried about in older, younger, and immunocompromised patients with
diarrhea? - Correct answer ✔✔ Dehydration --> electrolyte imbalances
What is dysuria? - Correct answer ✔✔ Painful or difficult urination
What do you want to warn your patient of before starting him on a laxative? - Correct answer
✔✔ Can develop a dependency due to decreased intestinal tone
Your patient tells you he has been having dark tarry stools. What medication do you want to ask
about? - Correct answer ✔✔ Iron supplement
What is familial mediterranean fever? - Correct answer ✔✔ Inherited condition characterized
by recurrent episodes of painful inflammation in the abdomen, chest, or joints
When you are prepping your patient for an abdominal exam what do you want to tell them to
do? - Correct answer ✔✔ Empty their bladder
When you are performing an abdominal exam where do you want to stand in relation to your
patient? - Correct answer ✔✔ On the patient's right side
