GASTROINTESTINAL STUDY GUIDE 2026
FULL QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
EXAMPREP RESOURCE
●● 2. A nurse is promoting increased protein intake to enhance a patients
wound healing. The nurse knows
that enzymes are essential in the digestion of nutrients such as protein.
What is the enzyme that initiates
the digestion of protein?
A) Pepsin
B) Intrinsic factor
C) Lipase
D) Amylase.
Answer: Ans: A
Feedback:
The enzyme that initiates the digestion of protein is pepsin. Intrinsic
factor combines with vitamin B12
for absorption by the ileum. Lipase aids in the digestion of fats and
amylase aids in the digestion of
starch.
●● 3. A patient has been brought to the emergency department with
abdominal pain and is subsequently
,diagnosed with appendicitis. The patient is scheduled for an
appendectomy but questions the nurse about
how his health will be affected by the absence of an appendix. How
should the nurse best respond?
A) Your appendix doesnt play a major role, so you wont notice any
difference after you recovery from
surgery.
B) The surgeon will encourage you to limit your fat intake for a few
weeks after the surgery, but your
body will then begin to compensate.
C) Your body will absorb slightly fewer nutrients from the food you eat,
but you wont be aware of
this.
D) Your large intestine will adapt over time to the absence of your
appendix..
Answer: Ans: A
Feedback:
The appendix is an appendage of the cecum (not the large intestine) that
has little or no physiologic
function. Its absence does not affect digestion or absorption.
●● 4. A patient asks the nursing assistant for a bedpan. When the patient
is finished, the nursing assistant
, notifies the nurse that the patient has bright red streaking of blood in the
stool. What is this most likely a result of?
A) Diet high in red meat
B) Upper GI bleed
C) Hemorrhoids
D) Use of iron supplements.
Answer: Ans: C
Feedback:
Lower rectal or anal bleeding is suspected if there is streaking of blood
on the surface of the stool.
Hemorrhoids are often a cause of anal bleeding since they occur in the
rectum. Blood from an upper GI
bleed would be dark rather than frank. Iron supplements make the stool
dark, but not bloody and red
meat consumption would not cause frank blood.
●● 5. An adult patient is scheduled for an upper GI series that will use a
barium swallow. What teaching
should the nurse include when the patient has completed the test?
A) Stool will be yellow for the first 24 hours postprocedure.
B) The barium may cause diarrhea for the next 24 hours.
C) Fluids must be increased to facilitate the evacuation of the stool.
D) Slight anal bleeding may be noted as the barium is passed..
FULL QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
EXAMPREP RESOURCE
●● 2. A nurse is promoting increased protein intake to enhance a patients
wound healing. The nurse knows
that enzymes are essential in the digestion of nutrients such as protein.
What is the enzyme that initiates
the digestion of protein?
A) Pepsin
B) Intrinsic factor
C) Lipase
D) Amylase.
Answer: Ans: A
Feedback:
The enzyme that initiates the digestion of protein is pepsin. Intrinsic
factor combines with vitamin B12
for absorption by the ileum. Lipase aids in the digestion of fats and
amylase aids in the digestion of
starch.
●● 3. A patient has been brought to the emergency department with
abdominal pain and is subsequently
,diagnosed with appendicitis. The patient is scheduled for an
appendectomy but questions the nurse about
how his health will be affected by the absence of an appendix. How
should the nurse best respond?
A) Your appendix doesnt play a major role, so you wont notice any
difference after you recovery from
surgery.
B) The surgeon will encourage you to limit your fat intake for a few
weeks after the surgery, but your
body will then begin to compensate.
C) Your body will absorb slightly fewer nutrients from the food you eat,
but you wont be aware of
this.
D) Your large intestine will adapt over time to the absence of your
appendix..
Answer: Ans: A
Feedback:
The appendix is an appendage of the cecum (not the large intestine) that
has little or no physiologic
function. Its absence does not affect digestion or absorption.
●● 4. A patient asks the nursing assistant for a bedpan. When the patient
is finished, the nursing assistant
, notifies the nurse that the patient has bright red streaking of blood in the
stool. What is this most likely a result of?
A) Diet high in red meat
B) Upper GI bleed
C) Hemorrhoids
D) Use of iron supplements.
Answer: Ans: C
Feedback:
Lower rectal or anal bleeding is suspected if there is streaking of blood
on the surface of the stool.
Hemorrhoids are often a cause of anal bleeding since they occur in the
rectum. Blood from an upper GI
bleed would be dark rather than frank. Iron supplements make the stool
dark, but not bloody and red
meat consumption would not cause frank blood.
●● 5. An adult patient is scheduled for an upper GI series that will use a
barium swallow. What teaching
should the nurse include when the patient has completed the test?
A) Stool will be yellow for the first 24 hours postprocedure.
B) The barium may cause diarrhea for the next 24 hours.
C) Fluids must be increased to facilitate the evacuation of the stool.
D) Slight anal bleeding may be noted as the barium is passed..
