NU221 Quiz #3 Exam Study Guide
Select the sequence of techniques used during an examination of the abdomen -
ANSWER Inspection, auscultation, percussion, palpation
Which of the following can be noted through inspection of a patient's abdomen? -
ANSWER Venous pattern, peristaltic waves, and abdominal contour
Right upper quadrant tenderness may indicate pathology in the: - ANSWER Liver,
pancreas, or ascending colon
Hyperactive bowel sounds are: - ANSWER - high pitched, rushing, tinkling
The absence of bowel sounds is established after listening for: - ANSWER 5 full minutes
Auscultation of the abdomen may reveal bruits of the _________ arteries - ANSWER
Aortic, renal, iliac and femoral
The normal range of liver span in the right midclavicular line in the adult is: - ANSWER
6-12 cm
The left upper quadrant (LUQ) contains the: - ANSWER Spleen
A female patient has striae on the abdomen. Which color indicates long-standing striae?
- ANSWER Silvery white
Auscultating the abdomen is begun in the right lower quadrant (RLQ) because: -
ANSWER Bowel sounds are always normally present here.
A dull percussion note forward of the left midaxillary line is - ANSWER Indicative of
splenic enlargement
Shifting dullness is a test for: - ANSWER Ascites
Tenderness during abdominal palpation is expected when palpating the: - ANSWER
Sigmoid colon
A positive Murphy's sign is best described as: - ANSWER Pain felt when taking a deep
breath when the examiner's fingers are on the approximate location of the inflamed
gallbladder.
A positive Blumberg sign indicates: - ANSWER Peritoneal inflammation
The nurse is percussing the seventh right intercostal space at the midclavicular line
over the liver. Which sound should the nurse expect to hear? - ANSWER Dullness
Which structure is located in the left lower quadrant of the abdomen? - ANSWER
Sigmoid colon
, A patient is having difficulty swallowing medications and food. The nurse would
document that this patient has: - ANSWER Dysphagia
The nurse suspects that a patient has a distended bladder. How should the nurse
assess for this condition? - ANSWER Percuss and palpate the midline area above the
suprapubic bone.
The nurse is aware that one change that may occur in the gastrointestinal system of an
aging adult is: - ANSWER Decreased gastric acid secretion.
A 22-year-old man comes to the clinic for an examination 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 statements is trueregarding assessment of the spleen
in this situation? - ANSWER An enlarged spleen should not be palpated because it can
easily rupture.
A patients abdomen is bulging and stretched in appearance. The nurse should describe
this finding as: - ANSWER Protuberant.
The nurse is describing a scaphoid abdomen. To the horizontal plane, a scaphoid
contour of the abdomen depicts a ______ profile. - ANSWER Concave
While examining a patient, the nurse observes abdominal pulsations between the
xiphoid process and umbilicus. The nurse would suspect that these are: - ANSWER
Normal abdominal aortic pulsations.
A patient has hypoactive bowel sounds. The nurse knows that a potential cause of
hypoactive bowel sounds is: - ANSWER Peritonitis.
The nurse is watching a new graduate nurse perform auscultation of a patients
abdomen. Which statement by the new graduate shows a correct understanding of the
reason auscultation precedes percussion and palpation of the abdomen? - ANSWER
Auscultation prevents distortion of bowel sounds that might occur after percussion and
palpation.
The nurse is listening to bowel sounds. Which of these statements is true of bowel
sounds? Bowel sounds - ANSWER Are usually high-pitched, gurgling, and irregular
sounds.
The physician comments that a patient has abdominal borborygmi. The nurse knows
that this term refers to: - ANSWER Hyperactive bowel sounds.
During an abdominal assessment, the nurse would consider which of these findings as
normal? - ANSWER Tympanic percussion note in the umbilical region
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: - ANSWER Pyrosis.
Select the sequence of techniques used during an examination of the abdomen -
ANSWER Inspection, auscultation, percussion, palpation
Which of the following can be noted through inspection of a patient's abdomen? -
ANSWER Venous pattern, peristaltic waves, and abdominal contour
Right upper quadrant tenderness may indicate pathology in the: - ANSWER Liver,
pancreas, or ascending colon
Hyperactive bowel sounds are: - ANSWER - high pitched, rushing, tinkling
The absence of bowel sounds is established after listening for: - ANSWER 5 full minutes
Auscultation of the abdomen may reveal bruits of the _________ arteries - ANSWER
Aortic, renal, iliac and femoral
The normal range of liver span in the right midclavicular line in the adult is: - ANSWER
6-12 cm
The left upper quadrant (LUQ) contains the: - ANSWER Spleen
A female patient has striae on the abdomen. Which color indicates long-standing striae?
- ANSWER Silvery white
Auscultating the abdomen is begun in the right lower quadrant (RLQ) because: -
ANSWER Bowel sounds are always normally present here.
A dull percussion note forward of the left midaxillary line is - ANSWER Indicative of
splenic enlargement
Shifting dullness is a test for: - ANSWER Ascites
Tenderness during abdominal palpation is expected when palpating the: - ANSWER
Sigmoid colon
A positive Murphy's sign is best described as: - ANSWER Pain felt when taking a deep
breath when the examiner's fingers are on the approximate location of the inflamed
gallbladder.
A positive Blumberg sign indicates: - ANSWER Peritoneal inflammation
The nurse is percussing the seventh right intercostal space at the midclavicular line
over the liver. Which sound should the nurse expect to hear? - ANSWER Dullness
Which structure is located in the left lower quadrant of the abdomen? - ANSWER
Sigmoid colon
, A patient is having difficulty swallowing medications and food. The nurse would
document that this patient has: - ANSWER Dysphagia
The nurse suspects that a patient has a distended bladder. How should the nurse
assess for this condition? - ANSWER Percuss and palpate the midline area above the
suprapubic bone.
The nurse is aware that one change that may occur in the gastrointestinal system of an
aging adult is: - ANSWER Decreased gastric acid secretion.
A 22-year-old man comes to the clinic for an examination 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 statements is trueregarding assessment of the spleen
in this situation? - ANSWER An enlarged spleen should not be palpated because it can
easily rupture.
A patients abdomen is bulging and stretched in appearance. The nurse should describe
this finding as: - ANSWER Protuberant.
The nurse is describing a scaphoid abdomen. To the horizontal plane, a scaphoid
contour of the abdomen depicts a ______ profile. - ANSWER Concave
While examining a patient, the nurse observes abdominal pulsations between the
xiphoid process and umbilicus. The nurse would suspect that these are: - ANSWER
Normal abdominal aortic pulsations.
A patient has hypoactive bowel sounds. The nurse knows that a potential cause of
hypoactive bowel sounds is: - ANSWER Peritonitis.
The nurse is watching a new graduate nurse perform auscultation of a patients
abdomen. Which statement by the new graduate shows a correct understanding of the
reason auscultation precedes percussion and palpation of the abdomen? - ANSWER
Auscultation prevents distortion of bowel sounds that might occur after percussion and
palpation.
The nurse is listening to bowel sounds. Which of these statements is true of bowel
sounds? Bowel sounds - ANSWER Are usually high-pitched, gurgling, and irregular
sounds.
The physician comments that a patient has abdominal borborygmi. The nurse knows
that this term refers to: - ANSWER Hyperactive bowel sounds.
During an abdominal assessment, the nurse would consider which of these findings as
normal? - ANSWER Tympanic percussion note in the umbilical region
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: - ANSWER Pyrosis.
