Appendicitis NCLEX, Postoperative
Care, NCLEX pre op/post op Exam 2026
Questions and Answers
The nurse would increase the comfort of the patient with appendicitis by:
"a. Having the patient lie prone
b. Flexing the patient's right knee
c. Sitting the patient upright in a chair
d. Turning the patient onto his or her left side - Correct answer-Correct answer: B"
The patient with appendicitis usually prefers to lie still, often with the right leg
flexed to decrease pain.
"The nurse is caring for a patient in the emergency department with complaints of
acute abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting. When the nurse palpates the patient's
left lower abdominal quadrant, the patient complains of pain in the right lower
quadrant. The nurse will document this as which of the following diagnostic signs
of appendicitis?
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,"a. Rovsing sign
b. referred pain
c. Chvostek's sign
d. rebound tenderness
correct answer: A" - Correct answer-Answer A
In patients with suspected appendicitis, Rovsing sign may be elicited by palpation
of the left lower quadrant, causing pain to be felt in the right lower quadrant.
Which of the following position should the client with appendicitis assume to
relieve pain ?
A. Prone B. Sitting C. Supine D. Lying with legs drawn up - Correct answer-
Correct Answer: D Lying still with legs drawn up towards chest helps relive
tension on the abdominal muscle, which helps to reduce the amount of discomfort
felt. Lying flat or sitting may increase the amount of pain experienced
"When evaluating a male client for complications of acute pancreatitis, the nurse
would observe for:
"a. increased intracranial pressure.
b. decreased urine output.
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,c. bradycardia.
d. hypertension." - Correct answer-Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Acute pancreatitis can cause decreased urine output, which results from
the renal failure that sometimes accompanies this condition. Intracranial pressure
neither increases nor decreases in a client with pancreatitis. Tachycardia, not
bradycardia, usually is associated with pulmonary or hypovolemic complications
of pancreatitis. Hypotension can be caused by a hypovolemic complication, but
hypertension usually isn't related to acute pancreatitis."
"When preparing a male client, age 51, for surgery to treat appendicitis, the nurse
formulates a nursing diagnosis of Risk for infection related to inflammation,
perforation, and surgery. What is the rationale for choosing this nursing diagnosis?
"a. Obstruction of the appendix may increase venous drainage and cause the
appendix to rupture.
b. Obstruction of the appendix reduces arterial flow, leading to ischemia,
inflammation, and rupture of the appendix.
c. The appendix may develop gangrene and rupture, especially in a middle-aged
client.
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, d. Infection of the appendix diminishes necrotic arterial blood flow and increases
venous drainage." - Correct answer-Answer B. A client with appendicitis is at risk
for infection related to inflammation, perforation, and surgery because obstruction
of the appendix causes mucus fluid to build up, increasing pressure in the appendix
and compressing venous outflow drainage. The pressure continues to rise with
venous obstruction; arterial blood flow then decreases, leading to ischemia from
lack of perfusion. Inflammation and bacterial growth follow, and swelling
continues to raise pressure within the appendix, resulting in gangrene and rupture.
Geriatric, not middle-aged, clients are especially susceptible to appendix rupture.
"A client is admitted with a diagnosis of acute appendicitis. When assessing the
abdomen, the nurse would expect to find rebound tenderness at which location?
a) Left lower quadrant
b) Left upper quadrant
c) Right upper quadrant
d) Right lower quadrant - Correct answer-Correct answer: d) Right lower quadrant"
Rationale: The pain of acute appendicitis localizes in the right lower quadrant
(RLQ) at McBurney's point, an area midway between the umbilicus and the right
©COPYRIGHT 2025, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 4
Care, NCLEX pre op/post op Exam 2026
Questions and Answers
The nurse would increase the comfort of the patient with appendicitis by:
"a. Having the patient lie prone
b. Flexing the patient's right knee
c. Sitting the patient upright in a chair
d. Turning the patient onto his or her left side - Correct answer-Correct answer: B"
The patient with appendicitis usually prefers to lie still, often with the right leg
flexed to decrease pain.
"The nurse is caring for a patient in the emergency department with complaints of
acute abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting. When the nurse palpates the patient's
left lower abdominal quadrant, the patient complains of pain in the right lower
quadrant. The nurse will document this as which of the following diagnostic signs
of appendicitis?
©COPYRIGHT 2025, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 1
,"a. Rovsing sign
b. referred pain
c. Chvostek's sign
d. rebound tenderness
correct answer: A" - Correct answer-Answer A
In patients with suspected appendicitis, Rovsing sign may be elicited by palpation
of the left lower quadrant, causing pain to be felt in the right lower quadrant.
Which of the following position should the client with appendicitis assume to
relieve pain ?
A. Prone B. Sitting C. Supine D. Lying with legs drawn up - Correct answer-
Correct Answer: D Lying still with legs drawn up towards chest helps relive
tension on the abdominal muscle, which helps to reduce the amount of discomfort
felt. Lying flat or sitting may increase the amount of pain experienced
"When evaluating a male client for complications of acute pancreatitis, the nurse
would observe for:
"a. increased intracranial pressure.
b. decreased urine output.
©COPYRIGHT 2025, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 2
,c. bradycardia.
d. hypertension." - Correct answer-Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Acute pancreatitis can cause decreased urine output, which results from
the renal failure that sometimes accompanies this condition. Intracranial pressure
neither increases nor decreases in a client with pancreatitis. Tachycardia, not
bradycardia, usually is associated with pulmonary or hypovolemic complications
of pancreatitis. Hypotension can be caused by a hypovolemic complication, but
hypertension usually isn't related to acute pancreatitis."
"When preparing a male client, age 51, for surgery to treat appendicitis, the nurse
formulates a nursing diagnosis of Risk for infection related to inflammation,
perforation, and surgery. What is the rationale for choosing this nursing diagnosis?
"a. Obstruction of the appendix may increase venous drainage and cause the
appendix to rupture.
b. Obstruction of the appendix reduces arterial flow, leading to ischemia,
inflammation, and rupture of the appendix.
c. The appendix may develop gangrene and rupture, especially in a middle-aged
client.
©COPYRIGHT 2025, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 3
, d. Infection of the appendix diminishes necrotic arterial blood flow and increases
venous drainage." - Correct answer-Answer B. A client with appendicitis is at risk
for infection related to inflammation, perforation, and surgery because obstruction
of the appendix causes mucus fluid to build up, increasing pressure in the appendix
and compressing venous outflow drainage. The pressure continues to rise with
venous obstruction; arterial blood flow then decreases, leading to ischemia from
lack of perfusion. Inflammation and bacterial growth follow, and swelling
continues to raise pressure within the appendix, resulting in gangrene and rupture.
Geriatric, not middle-aged, clients are especially susceptible to appendix rupture.
"A client is admitted with a diagnosis of acute appendicitis. When assessing the
abdomen, the nurse would expect to find rebound tenderness at which location?
a) Left lower quadrant
b) Left upper quadrant
c) Right upper quadrant
d) Right lower quadrant - Correct answer-Correct answer: d) Right lower quadrant"
Rationale: The pain of acute appendicitis localizes in the right lower quadrant
(RLQ) at McBurney's point, an area midway between the umbilicus and the right
©COPYRIGHT 2025, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 4
