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WGU D115 OA Exam | Latest Update | Questions and
Well-Elaborated Answers | Study Guide & Exam
Prep
1. A patient presents with fatigue, right lower quadrant pain, and diarrhea for the past
two months with a 10-pound weight loss and periodic chills. The patient denies rectal
bleeding and reports significant stress from final exams. What diagnosis should the
provider be most concerned about?
A) Ulcerative colitis
B) Irritable bowel syndrome
C) Crohn's disease
D) Infectious gastroenteritis
2. A 74-year-old male reports rectal bleeding for the past year with no changes in bowel
habits, abdominal pain, or weight loss. He notes blood in the toilet water approximately
every few weeks with increased frequency recently. He had a colonoscopy five years ago.
What should the provider do next?
A) Order a fecal occult blood test
B) Prescribe topical hemorrhoid treatment
C) Schedule a colonoscopy to evaluate for colon polyps or cancer
D) Recommend dietary fiber supplementation
3. A patient presents with dark, tarry stools. The provider understands that this clinical
finding most likely indicates bleeding from which location?
A) Lower gastrointestinal tract
B) The esophagus or stomach
,2|Pa g e
C) The rectum or anus
D) The small intestine only
4. An overweight middle-aged woman presents with severe right upper quadrant pain
radiating to her right subscapular area accompanied by anorexia, nausea, and fever
after eating a high-fat meal. Abdominal examination reveals tenderness in the RUQ.
Which sign correlates with the correct diagnosis?
A) McBurney's sign indicating appendicitis
B) CVA tenderness indicating pyelonephritis
C) Murphy's sign indicating cholecystitis
D) Rovsing's sign indicating diverticulitis
5. A patient with GERD symptoms is experiencing worsening of their condition. Which
underlying problem would most likely exacerbate the symptoms of GERD?
A) Increased gastric acid production
B) Gastroparesis causing delayed gastric emptying
C) Decreased lower esophageal sphincter pressure
D) Increased esophageal peristalsis
6. A 65-year-old male with a 60 pack-year smoking history and daily alcohol
consumption presents with years of heartburn and recent 30-pound weight loss over one
month despite taking antacids and H2 receptor antagonists. What differential diagnosis
should the provider consider?
A) Peptic ulcer disease
B) Gastritis
C) Esophageal cancer
D) Gastroesophageal reflux disease
7. A 54-year-old female presents with intermittent crampy abdominal pain over 18
hours, anorexia, vomiting, abdominal bloating, and inability to have a bowel movement.
,3|Pa g e
She has a history of hysterectomy, cholecystectomy, and two laparoscopies. What
condition should the provider suspect?
A) Acute pancreatitis
B) Diverticulitis
C) Small bowel obstruction
D) Gastroparesis
8. Which statement is true regarding colorectal cancer?
A) Colorectal cancer typically arises from villous adenomas
B) Most colorectal cancers arise from adenomatous polyps
C) Colorectal cancer is more common in females than males
D) Colorectal cancer rarely metastasizes to the liver
9. A patient is diagnosed with pernicious anemia. Which cellular dysfunction is most
likely responsible for this condition?
A) G-cell dysfunction reducing gastrin production
B) Parietal cell dysfunction affecting intrinsic factor secretion
C) Chief cell dysfunction reducing pepsinogen production
D) Mucous cell dysfunction affecting protective barrier
10. What is the role of stomach acid in the digestive process?
A) Only acts as a bactericide
B) Converts pepsinogen into pepsin, acts as a bactericide, and dissolves food fibers
C) Only dissolves food fibers
D) Only converts pepsinogen into pepsin
11. A patient with a posterior pituitary tumor producing excess ADH presents with
elevated blood volume and blood pressure. What additional hormonal change would be
expected?
A) Decreased aldosterone
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B) Increased atrial natriuretic peptide
C) Decreased renin
D) Increased cortisol
12. A patient with chronic kidney disease has a GFR of 28 mL/min. The patient has type
2 diabetes. What is the most appropriate recommendation for this patient?
A) Monitor GFR every six months
B) Initiate dialysis due to chronic kidney disease
C) Start oral hypoglycemic agents
D) Recommend dietary protein restriction only
13. A 78-year-old male complains of fatigue and difficulty emptying his bladder.
Examination reveals a distended bladder. BUN is 88 mg/dL and creatinine is 2.8 mg/dL.
This clinical presentation is most consistent with which condition?
A) Prerenal azotemia
B) Intrinsic renal failure
C) Postrenal azotemia
D) Acute tubular necrosis
14. A patient with heart failure presents with tachycardia, S3 heart sound, basilar
crackles bilaterally, blood pressure of 90/68 mmHg, BUN of 58 mg/dL, and creatinine of
2.4 mg/dL. This presentation is most consistent with which condition?
A) Postrenal azotemia
B) Chronic kidney disease
C) Prerenal azotemia
D) Acute pyelonephritis
15. A patient involved in a motor vehicle accident presents with an abdominal wound,
acute blood loss, and hypotension. Which mechanism best describes the control of renal
blood flow in this situation?
WGU D115 OA Exam | Latest Update | Questions and
Well-Elaborated Answers | Study Guide & Exam
Prep
1. A patient presents with fatigue, right lower quadrant pain, and diarrhea for the past
two months with a 10-pound weight loss and periodic chills. The patient denies rectal
bleeding and reports significant stress from final exams. What diagnosis should the
provider be most concerned about?
A) Ulcerative colitis
B) Irritable bowel syndrome
C) Crohn's disease
D) Infectious gastroenteritis
2. A 74-year-old male reports rectal bleeding for the past year with no changes in bowel
habits, abdominal pain, or weight loss. He notes blood in the toilet water approximately
every few weeks with increased frequency recently. He had a colonoscopy five years ago.
What should the provider do next?
A) Order a fecal occult blood test
B) Prescribe topical hemorrhoid treatment
C) Schedule a colonoscopy to evaluate for colon polyps or cancer
D) Recommend dietary fiber supplementation
3. A patient presents with dark, tarry stools. The provider understands that this clinical
finding most likely indicates bleeding from which location?
A) Lower gastrointestinal tract
B) The esophagus or stomach
,2|Pa g e
C) The rectum or anus
D) The small intestine only
4. An overweight middle-aged woman presents with severe right upper quadrant pain
radiating to her right subscapular area accompanied by anorexia, nausea, and fever
after eating a high-fat meal. Abdominal examination reveals tenderness in the RUQ.
Which sign correlates with the correct diagnosis?
A) McBurney's sign indicating appendicitis
B) CVA tenderness indicating pyelonephritis
C) Murphy's sign indicating cholecystitis
D) Rovsing's sign indicating diverticulitis
5. A patient with GERD symptoms is experiencing worsening of their condition. Which
underlying problem would most likely exacerbate the symptoms of GERD?
A) Increased gastric acid production
B) Gastroparesis causing delayed gastric emptying
C) Decreased lower esophageal sphincter pressure
D) Increased esophageal peristalsis
6. A 65-year-old male with a 60 pack-year smoking history and daily alcohol
consumption presents with years of heartburn and recent 30-pound weight loss over one
month despite taking antacids and H2 receptor antagonists. What differential diagnosis
should the provider consider?
A) Peptic ulcer disease
B) Gastritis
C) Esophageal cancer
D) Gastroesophageal reflux disease
7. A 54-year-old female presents with intermittent crampy abdominal pain over 18
hours, anorexia, vomiting, abdominal bloating, and inability to have a bowel movement.
,3|Pa g e
She has a history of hysterectomy, cholecystectomy, and two laparoscopies. What
condition should the provider suspect?
A) Acute pancreatitis
B) Diverticulitis
C) Small bowel obstruction
D) Gastroparesis
8. Which statement is true regarding colorectal cancer?
A) Colorectal cancer typically arises from villous adenomas
B) Most colorectal cancers arise from adenomatous polyps
C) Colorectal cancer is more common in females than males
D) Colorectal cancer rarely metastasizes to the liver
9. A patient is diagnosed with pernicious anemia. Which cellular dysfunction is most
likely responsible for this condition?
A) G-cell dysfunction reducing gastrin production
B) Parietal cell dysfunction affecting intrinsic factor secretion
C) Chief cell dysfunction reducing pepsinogen production
D) Mucous cell dysfunction affecting protective barrier
10. What is the role of stomach acid in the digestive process?
A) Only acts as a bactericide
B) Converts pepsinogen into pepsin, acts as a bactericide, and dissolves food fibers
C) Only dissolves food fibers
D) Only converts pepsinogen into pepsin
11. A patient with a posterior pituitary tumor producing excess ADH presents with
elevated blood volume and blood pressure. What additional hormonal change would be
expected?
A) Decreased aldosterone
, 4|Page
B) Increased atrial natriuretic peptide
C) Decreased renin
D) Increased cortisol
12. A patient with chronic kidney disease has a GFR of 28 mL/min. The patient has type
2 diabetes. What is the most appropriate recommendation for this patient?
A) Monitor GFR every six months
B) Initiate dialysis due to chronic kidney disease
C) Start oral hypoglycemic agents
D) Recommend dietary protein restriction only
13. A 78-year-old male complains of fatigue and difficulty emptying his bladder.
Examination reveals a distended bladder. BUN is 88 mg/dL and creatinine is 2.8 mg/dL.
This clinical presentation is most consistent with which condition?
A) Prerenal azotemia
B) Intrinsic renal failure
C) Postrenal azotemia
D) Acute tubular necrosis
14. A patient with heart failure presents with tachycardia, S3 heart sound, basilar
crackles bilaterally, blood pressure of 90/68 mmHg, BUN of 58 mg/dL, and creatinine of
2.4 mg/dL. This presentation is most consistent with which condition?
A) Postrenal azotemia
B) Chronic kidney disease
C) Prerenal azotemia
D) Acute pyelonephritis
15. A patient involved in a motor vehicle accident presents with an abdominal wound,
acute blood loss, and hypotension. Which mechanism best describes the control of renal
blood flow in this situation?
