NCLEX Gastrointestinal Disorders Related

Review NCLEX Gastrointestinal Disorders related questions and content

Which assessment data indicate to the nurse the client's gastric ulcer has perforated?

  • A. Complaints of sudden, sharp, substernal pain.
  • B. Rigid, boardlike abdomen with rebound tenderness.
  • C. Frequent, clay-colored, liquid stool.
  • D. Complaints of vague abdominal pain in the right upper quadrant.
Correct Answer: B

Rationale: A rigid, boardlike abdomen with rebound tenderness indicates peritonitis, a common complication of ulcer perforation due to leakage of gastric contents into the peritoneal cavity. Substernal pain, clay-colored stools, and vague pain are less specific.