Medical-Surgical NCLEX Practice QUIZ
with Answers Question Bank
When assessing a patient's abdomen, what would be most appropriate for the nurse to do?
A. Palpate the abdomen before auscultation.
B. Percuss the abdomen before auscultation.
C. Auscultate the abdomen before palpation.
D. Perform deep palpation before light palpation. - <CORRECT ANSWER >>- Auscultate the
abdomen before palpation.
>During examination of the abdomen, auscultation is done before percussion and palpation
because these latter procedures may alter the bowel sounds.
When preparing a patient for a capsule endoscopy study, what should the nurse do?
A. Ensure the patient understands the required bowel preparation.
B. Have the patient return to the procedure room for removal of the capsule.
C. Teach the patient to maintain a clear liquid diet throughout the procedure.
D. Explain to the patient that conscious sedation will be used during placement of the capsule. -
<CORRECT ANSWER >>- Ensure the patient understands the required bowel preparation.
>A capsule endoscopy study involves the patient performing a bowel prep to cleanse the bowel
before swallowing the capsule.
>The patient will be on a clear liquid diet for 1 to 2 days before the procedure and will remain
NPO for 4 to 6 hours after swallowing the capsule.
>The capsule is disposable and will pass naturally with the bowel movement, although the
monitoring device will need to be removed.
Inspection of an older patient's mouth reveals the presence of white, curd-like lesions on the
patient's tongue. What is the most likely etiology for this abnormal assessment finding?
A. Herpesvirus
,B. Candida albicans
C. Vitamin deficiency
D. Irritation from ill-fitting dentures - <CORRECT ANSWER >>- Candida albicans
>White, curd-like lesions surrounded by erythematous mucosa are associated with oral
candidiasis. Herpesvirus causes benign vesicular lesions in the mouth. Vitamin deficiencies may
cause a reddened, ulcerated, swollen tongue. Irritation from ill-fitting dentures will cause
friable, edematous, painful, bleeding gingivae.
The nurse should recognize that the liver performs which functions (select all that apply)?
A. Bile storage
B. Detoxification
C. Protein metabolism
D. Steroid metabolism
E. Red blood cell (RBC) destruction - <CORRECT ANSWER >>- Detoxification
- Protein metabolism
- Steroid metabolism
>The liver performs multiple major functions that aid in the maintenance of homeostasis. These
include metabolism of proteins and steroids as well as detoxification of drugs and metabolic
waste products. The Kupffer cells of the liver participate in the breakdown of old RBCs. The liver
produces bile, but storage occurs in the gall bladder.
The health care team is assessing a male patient for acute pancreatitis after he presented to the
emergency department with severe abdominal pain. Which laboratory value is the best
diagnostic indicator of acute pancreatitis?
A. Gastric pH
B. Blood glucose
C. Serum amylase
D. Serum potassium - <CORRECT ANSWER >>- Serum amylase
>Elevated serum amylase levels indicate early pancreatic dysfunction and are used to diagnose
acute pancreatitis. Serum lipase levels stay elevated longer than serum amylase in acute
,pancreatitis. Blood glucose, gastric pH, and potassium levels are not direct indicators of acute
pancreatic dysfunction.
The nurse is performing a focused abdominal assessment of a patient who has been recently
admitted. In order to palpate the patient's liver, where should the nurse palpate the patient's
abdomen?
A. Left lower quadrant
B. Left upper quadrant
C. Right lower quadrant
D. Right upper quadrant - <CORRECT ANSWER >>- Right upper quadrant
>Although the left lobe of the liver is located in the left upper quadrant of the abdomen, the
bulk of the liver is located in the right upper quadrant.
The patient had a car accident and was "scared to death." The patient is now reporting
constipation. What affecting the gastrointestinal (GI) tract does the nurse know could be
contributing to the constipation?
A. The patient is too nervous to eat or drink, so there is no stool.
B. The sympathetic nervous system was activated, so the GI tract was slowed. Correct
C. The parasympathetic nervous system is now functioning to slow the GI tract.
D. The circulation in the GI system has been increased, so less waste is removed. - <CORRECT
ANSWER >>-
>The constipation is most likely related to the sympathetic nervous system activation from the
stress related to the accident. SNS activation can decrease peristalsis. Even without oral intake
for a short time, stool will be formed.
>The parasympathetic system stimulates peristalsis.
>The circulation to the GI system is decreased with stress
A 90-year-old healthy man is suffering from dysphagia. The nurse explains what age-related
change of the GI tract is the most likely cause of his difficulty?
A. Xerostomia
, B. Esophageal cancer
C. Decreased taste buds
D. Thinner abdominal wall - <CORRECT ANSWER >>- Xerostomia
>Xerostomia, decreased volume of saliva, leads to dry oral mucosa and dysphagia.
>Esophageal cancer is not an age-related change.
>Decreased taste buds and a thinner abdominal wall do not contribute to difficulty swallowing.
A patient had a stomach resection for stomach cancer. The nurse should teach the patient
about the loss of the hormone that stimulates gastric acid secretion and motility and maintains
lower esophageal sphincter tone. Which hormone will be decreased with a gastric resection?
A. Gastrin
B. Secretin
C. Cholecystokinin
D. Gastric inhibitory peptide - <CORRECT ANSWER >>- Gastrin
>Gastrin is the hormone activated in the stomach (and duodenal mucosa) by stomach
distention that stimulates gastric acid secretion and motility and maintains lower esophageal
sphincter tone. >Secretin inhibits gastric motility and acid secretion and stimulates pancreatic
bicarbonate secretion.
>Cholecystokinin allows increased flow of bile into the duodenum and release of pancreatic
digestive enzymes.
>Gastric inhibitory peptide inhibits gastric acid secretion and motility.
The patient tells the nurse she had a history of abdominal pain, so she had a surgery to make an
opening into the common bile duct to remove stones. The nurse knows that this surgery is
called a
A. colectomy
B. cholecystectomy
C. choledocholithotomy
D. choledochojejunostomy - <CORRECT ANSWER >>- choledocholithotomy
>A choledocholithotomy is an opening into the common bile duct for the removal of stones.
with Answers Question Bank
When assessing a patient's abdomen, what would be most appropriate for the nurse to do?
A. Palpate the abdomen before auscultation.
B. Percuss the abdomen before auscultation.
C. Auscultate the abdomen before palpation.
D. Perform deep palpation before light palpation. - <CORRECT ANSWER >>- Auscultate the
abdomen before palpation.
>During examination of the abdomen, auscultation is done before percussion and palpation
because these latter procedures may alter the bowel sounds.
When preparing a patient for a capsule endoscopy study, what should the nurse do?
A. Ensure the patient understands the required bowel preparation.
B. Have the patient return to the procedure room for removal of the capsule.
C. Teach the patient to maintain a clear liquid diet throughout the procedure.
D. Explain to the patient that conscious sedation will be used during placement of the capsule. -
<CORRECT ANSWER >>- Ensure the patient understands the required bowel preparation.
>A capsule endoscopy study involves the patient performing a bowel prep to cleanse the bowel
before swallowing the capsule.
>The patient will be on a clear liquid diet for 1 to 2 days before the procedure and will remain
NPO for 4 to 6 hours after swallowing the capsule.
>The capsule is disposable and will pass naturally with the bowel movement, although the
monitoring device will need to be removed.
Inspection of an older patient's mouth reveals the presence of white, curd-like lesions on the
patient's tongue. What is the most likely etiology for this abnormal assessment finding?
A. Herpesvirus
,B. Candida albicans
C. Vitamin deficiency
D. Irritation from ill-fitting dentures - <CORRECT ANSWER >>- Candida albicans
>White, curd-like lesions surrounded by erythematous mucosa are associated with oral
candidiasis. Herpesvirus causes benign vesicular lesions in the mouth. Vitamin deficiencies may
cause a reddened, ulcerated, swollen tongue. Irritation from ill-fitting dentures will cause
friable, edematous, painful, bleeding gingivae.
The nurse should recognize that the liver performs which functions (select all that apply)?
A. Bile storage
B. Detoxification
C. Protein metabolism
D. Steroid metabolism
E. Red blood cell (RBC) destruction - <CORRECT ANSWER >>- Detoxification
- Protein metabolism
- Steroid metabolism
>The liver performs multiple major functions that aid in the maintenance of homeostasis. These
include metabolism of proteins and steroids as well as detoxification of drugs and metabolic
waste products. The Kupffer cells of the liver participate in the breakdown of old RBCs. The liver
produces bile, but storage occurs in the gall bladder.
The health care team is assessing a male patient for acute pancreatitis after he presented to the
emergency department with severe abdominal pain. Which laboratory value is the best
diagnostic indicator of acute pancreatitis?
A. Gastric pH
B. Blood glucose
C. Serum amylase
D. Serum potassium - <CORRECT ANSWER >>- Serum amylase
>Elevated serum amylase levels indicate early pancreatic dysfunction and are used to diagnose
acute pancreatitis. Serum lipase levels stay elevated longer than serum amylase in acute
,pancreatitis. Blood glucose, gastric pH, and potassium levels are not direct indicators of acute
pancreatic dysfunction.
The nurse is performing a focused abdominal assessment of a patient who has been recently
admitted. In order to palpate the patient's liver, where should the nurse palpate the patient's
abdomen?
A. Left lower quadrant
B. Left upper quadrant
C. Right lower quadrant
D. Right upper quadrant - <CORRECT ANSWER >>- Right upper quadrant
>Although the left lobe of the liver is located in the left upper quadrant of the abdomen, the
bulk of the liver is located in the right upper quadrant.
The patient had a car accident and was "scared to death." The patient is now reporting
constipation. What affecting the gastrointestinal (GI) tract does the nurse know could be
contributing to the constipation?
A. The patient is too nervous to eat or drink, so there is no stool.
B. The sympathetic nervous system was activated, so the GI tract was slowed. Correct
C. The parasympathetic nervous system is now functioning to slow the GI tract.
D. The circulation in the GI system has been increased, so less waste is removed. - <CORRECT
ANSWER >>-
>The constipation is most likely related to the sympathetic nervous system activation from the
stress related to the accident. SNS activation can decrease peristalsis. Even without oral intake
for a short time, stool will be formed.
>The parasympathetic system stimulates peristalsis.
>The circulation to the GI system is decreased with stress
A 90-year-old healthy man is suffering from dysphagia. The nurse explains what age-related
change of the GI tract is the most likely cause of his difficulty?
A. Xerostomia
, B. Esophageal cancer
C. Decreased taste buds
D. Thinner abdominal wall - <CORRECT ANSWER >>- Xerostomia
>Xerostomia, decreased volume of saliva, leads to dry oral mucosa and dysphagia.
>Esophageal cancer is not an age-related change.
>Decreased taste buds and a thinner abdominal wall do not contribute to difficulty swallowing.
A patient had a stomach resection for stomach cancer. The nurse should teach the patient
about the loss of the hormone that stimulates gastric acid secretion and motility and maintains
lower esophageal sphincter tone. Which hormone will be decreased with a gastric resection?
A. Gastrin
B. Secretin
C. Cholecystokinin
D. Gastric inhibitory peptide - <CORRECT ANSWER >>- Gastrin
>Gastrin is the hormone activated in the stomach (and duodenal mucosa) by stomach
distention that stimulates gastric acid secretion and motility and maintains lower esophageal
sphincter tone. >Secretin inhibits gastric motility and acid secretion and stimulates pancreatic
bicarbonate secretion.
>Cholecystokinin allows increased flow of bile into the duodenum and release of pancreatic
digestive enzymes.
>Gastric inhibitory peptide inhibits gastric acid secretion and motility.
The patient tells the nurse she had a history of abdominal pain, so she had a surgery to make an
opening into the common bile duct to remove stones. The nurse knows that this surgery is
called a
A. colectomy
B. cholecystectomy
C. choledocholithotomy
D. choledochojejunostomy - <CORRECT ANSWER >>- choledocholithotomy
>A choledocholithotomy is an opening into the common bile duct for the removal of stones.
