Deck 21: Gastrointestinal Clinical Assessment and Diagnostic Procedures

Question 1

Which assessment technique is most useful in detecting abdominal pathologic conditions?

A) Percussion
B) Palpation
C) Inspection
D) Auscultation

Answer 1

Palpation

Question 2

Signs and symptoms of which condition include nausea, localized right lower quadrant guarding and tenderness after 12 to 24 hours, fever, and an elevated white blood cell count?

A) Appendicitis
B) Hepatitis
C) Cecal volvulus
D) Perforated duodenal ulcer

Answer 2

Appendicitis

Question 3

Nursing management of the patient undergoing an angiogram includes

A) keeping the patient flat for 24 hours.
B) inserting a nasogastric tube before the procedure.
C) administering tap water enemas until clear.
D) checking the patient's pulse distal to the injection site every 15 minutes.

Answer 3

checking the patient's pulse distal to the injection site every 15 minutes.

Question 4

Identify anatomic structures that are found in the right upper quadrant.

A) Duodenum
B) Portion of the transverse colon
C) Liver
D) Stomach
E) Cecum

Question 5

When assessing the gastrointestinal system, the order of assessment progresses in which of the following?

A) Inspection, palpation, percussion, auscultation
B) Palpation, percussion, inspection, auscultation
C) Inspection, auscultation, percussion, palpation
D) Palpation, inspection, auscultation, percussion

Question 6

Potential complications of an endoscopy include

A) perforation of the GI tract.
B) hemorrhage.
C) oversedation.
D) constipation.
E) aspiration.

Question 7

Upon auscultation, the nurse hears borborygmi.This is a change in the patient's condition.The nurse suspects the patient maybe experiencing

A) a complete ileus.
B) early intestinal obstruction.
C) abnormality of blood flow.
D) peritonitis.

Question 8

Steatorrhea is determined by which laboratory study?

A) Gastric acid stimulation
B) Urea breath test
C) Culture and sensitivity
D) Stool studies

Question 9

Which of the following diagnostic procedures is used to identify gallstones and hepatic abscesses?

A) Ultrasonography
B) Abdominal radiography
C) Angiography
D) Liver scan

Question 10

Which radiographic test would be used to identify pseudocysts of the pancreas?

A) Plain film radiography
B) Abdominal ultrasonography
C) CT of abdomen
D) MRI of the abdomen

Question 11

When assessing the abdomen, how long must the nurse listen to the abdomen to be able to accurately chart that bowel sounds are absent?

A) 30 seconds in each quadrant
B) 1 minute
C) 3 minutes
D) 5 minutes

Question 12

Identify anatomic structures that are found in the left upper quadrant.

A) Stomach
B) Spleen
C) Portion of the transverse and descending colon
D) Head of the pancreas
E) Body of the pancreas

Question 13

The patient has just returned from a liver biopsy.The patient should be positioned on the

A) left side for 2 hours.
B) right side for 2 hours.
C) left side for 6 to 8 hours.
D) right side for 6 to 8 hours.

Question 14

The best diagnostic test for the determination of upper gastrointestinal bleeding is

A) endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP).
B) colonoscopy.
C) endoscopy.
D) angiography.

Question 15

Identify anatomic structures that are found in the right lower quadrant.

A) Sigmoid colon
B) Portion of the ascending colon
C) Portion of the descending colon
D) Distended bladder
E) Enlarged uterus

Question 16

Which of the following findings is considered an abnormal gastrointestinal assessment finding?

A) Visible peristaltic waves
B) Hyper-resonance of the intestine
C) High-pitched gurgling sounds in the small intestine
D) Dull sounds over the liver and spleen

Question 17

Identify anatomic structures that are found in the left lower quadrant.

A) Distended uterus
B) Cecum and appendix
C) Left ureter
D) Portion of the descending colon
E) Sigmoid colon

Question 18

A 78-year-old patient was admitted to the critical care unit with cirrhosis of the liver.In cirrhosis of the liver, which of the following laboratory values is expected to drop?

A) Albumin
B) Total bilirubin
C) Alkaline phosphatase
D) Aspartate aminotransferase

Question 19

A health care provider has ordered an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)of the liver.The nurse's first action is to

A) prepare the patient psychologically and physically for the procedure.
B) monitor the patient's response to the procedure.
C) assess the patient after the procedure.
D) inform the patient's family of the results.

Question 20

Which of the following serum laboratory values is increased in acute pancreatitis?

A) Bilirubin
B) Amylase
C) Lactate dehydrogenase
D) Ammonia

Question 21

Inspection of the GI system should include the

A) mouth.
B) esophagus.
C) skin.
D) bladder.
E) abdomen.