Gastrointestinal System Nursing Exam Questions

Gastrointestinal System Nursing Exam Questions Related

Review Gastrointestinal System Nursing Exam Questions related questions and content

A young adult patient is admitted to the hospital for evaluation of right lower quadrant abdominal pain with nausea and vomiting. Which action should the nurse take?

  • A. Assist the patient to cough and deep breath
  • C. Palpate the abdomen for rebound tenderness.
  • D. Suggest the patient lie on the side, flexing the right leg.
Correct Answer: C

Rationale: The correct answer is C: Palpate the abdomen for rebound tenderness. This action is essential to assess for signs of possible appendicitis, a common cause of right lower quadrant abdominal pain with nausea and vomiting. Rebound tenderness is a classic sign of peritoneal irritation and can indicate an inflamed appendix. The other choices are incorrect because:
A: Assisting the patient to cough and deep breath is not a priority in this situation and does not provide relevant information about the cause of the abdominal pain.
D: Suggesting the patient lie on the side, flexing the right leg, may help alleviate some discomfort but does not provide diagnostic information about the underlying cause of the symptoms.

You may also like to solve these questions

What is the function of bile in digestion?

  • A. Emulsify fats
  • B. Break down proteins
  • C. Break down carbohydrates
  • D. None of the above
Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A: Emulsify fats. Bile emulsifies fats by breaking them down into smaller droplets, increasing the surface area for enzymes to work on, aiding in the digestion and absorption of fats. Choices B and C are incorrect as bile specifically targets fats, not proteins or carbohydrates. Choice D is incorrect as bile plays a crucial role in fat digestion.

Fatty acids and glycerol are released when _____ are broken down by liver or muscle cells.

  • A. micelles
  • B. chylomicrons
  • C. lacteals
  • D. lipoproteins
Correct Answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B: chylomicrons. Chylomicrons are lipoprotein particles that transport dietary lipids (including fatty acids and glycerol) from the small intestine to the liver or muscle cells for metabolism. When chylomicrons reach the liver or muscles, lipoprotein lipase breaks them down, releasing fatty acids and glycerol for energy production or storage.
Now, let's analyze why the other choices are incorrect:
A: Micelles are small lipid droplets formed in the small intestine to aid in lipid digestion and absorption, but they do not release fatty acids and glycerol when broken down.
C: Lacteals are lymphatic vessels in the small intestine that absorb dietary fats, but they do not release fatty acids and glycerol.
D: Lipoproteins are involved in transporting lipids in the bloodstream but do not release fatty acids and glycerol when broken down.

Which of these statements about reflexes in the GI tract is false?

  • A. Short reflexes are provoked by nerves near the GI tract.
  • B. Short reflexes are mediated by the enteric nervous system.
  • C. Food that distends the stomach initiates long reflexes.
  • D. Long reflexes can be provoked by stimuli originating outside the GI tract.
Correct Answer: C

Rationale: The correct answer is C because food that distends the stomach actually initiates short reflexes, not long reflexes. Short reflexes are provoked by nerves near the GI tract, which aligns with choice A. Short reflexes are indeed mediated by the enteric nervous system, supporting choice B. Long reflexes, as per choice D, can be provoked by stimuli originating outside the GI tract. Therefore, choice C is false as food distending the stomach triggers short reflexes, not long reflexes.

The defaecation reflex:

  • A. Is initiated by stretching the anal canal
  • B. Is integrated in a control center in the lumbar spinal cord
  • C. Is integrated in a control center in the sacral spinal cord
  • D. Is controlled by the vagus nerve
Correct Answer: C

Rationale: The correct answer is C because the defecation reflex is integrated in a control center in the sacral spinal cord. This is due to the presence of the parasympathetic nerves that control the smooth muscles of the colon and rectum in the sacral region. The sacral spinal cord is responsible for coordinating the reflexive relaxation of the internal anal sphincter and contraction of the rectum during defecation. Choices A and B are incorrect because the initiation and integration of the defecation reflex do not involve the anal canal stretching or the lumbar spinal cord. Choice D is incorrect as the defecation reflex is not controlled by the vagus nerve, which is primarily responsible for the parasympathetic innervation of organs in the thorax and upper abdomen.

When a patient returns to the clinical unit after an abdominal-perineal resection (APR), what should the nurse expect?

  • A. An abdominal dressing
  • B. An abdominal wound and drains
  • C. A temporary colostomy and drains
  • D. A perineal wound, drains, and a stoma
Correct Answer: D

Rationale: After an APR, the patient will typically have a perineal wound, drains, and a colostomy (stoma).

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