NSG 3160 Exam 4 (Galen) –
Comprehensive Test Bank
Newest 2025/2026 Update
EXAM BLUEPRINT
1. A nursing instructor asks a student to identify the quadrant where the
gallbladder is located. The correct response is which of the following?
a) Left Upper Quadrant (LUQ)
b) Left Lower Quadrant (LLQ)
c) Right Upper Quadrant (RUQ)
d) Right Lower Quadrant (RLQ)
Correct Answer💜💜: c) Right Upper Quadrant (RUQ)
Rationale: The gallbladder is located in the right upper quadrant (RUQ) of the
abdomen, nestled under the liver. The liver also occupies the RUQ .
2. While reviewing the anatomy of the digestive system, the student nurse
recalls that the majority of nutrient absorption occurs in which structure?
a) Stomach
b) Large intestine
,c) Small intestine
d) Esophagus
Correct Answer💜💜: c) Small intestine
Rationale: The small intestine is the primary site for the chemical digestion and
absorption of nutrients. The stomach主要负责 mechanical and chemical
digestion (chyme formation), while the large intestine absorbs water and
electrolytes .
3. A patient is admitted with suspected cholecystitis. The nurse understands
that this term refers to inflammation of which structure?
a) The appendix
b) The gallbladder
c) The stomach lining
d) The large intestine
Correct Answer💜💜: b) The gallbladder
Rationale: The prefix "chole-" refers to bile, and "-cyst" refers to the bladder.
Therefore, cholecystitis is inflammation of the gallbladder .
4. The nurse is palpating a structure located behind the stomach and directly
attached to the duodenum. This structure is responsible for producing insulin
and glucagon. Which organ is the nurse palpating?
a) Spleen
b) Liver
c) Pancreas
d) Gallbladder
,Correct Answer💜💜: c) Pancreas
Rationale: The pancreas is a retroperitoneal organ located behind the stomach. It
has both endocrine (insulin/glucagon) and exocrine (digestive enzymes)
functions .
Subjective GI Assessment
5. During a health history, a patient reports having "black, tarry stools" for the
past two days. How should the nurse accurately document this finding?
a) "Patient reports diarrhea with dark stools."
b) "Patient states he has been having melena for 24 hours."
c) "Patient states he has been having 'black stools' for the past two days."
d) "Patient is experiencing lower gastrointestinal bleeding."
Correct Answer💜💜: c) "Patient states he has been having 'black stools' for the
past two days."
Rationale: Documentation should use the patient's own words in quotation marks
when describing symptoms. "Melena" is the medical term for black, tarry stools,
which indicates digested blood, typically from an upper GI bleed .
6. The nurse is assessing a patient's nutritional status. Which question best
addresses the patient's "intake" patterns?
a) "How many meals a day do you eat?"
b) "Describe what you typically eat in a normal day."
c) "Do you have any allergies to food?"
d) "Have you had any unexplained weight loss?"
, Correct Answer💜💜: b) "Describe what you typically eat in a normal day."
Rationale: Open-ended questions about a typical day's intake provide a more
accurate and comprehensive picture of nutritional habits than simple closed-
ended questions about the number of meals.
Techniques of Physical Assessment (Inspection, Auscultation, Percussion,
Palpation)
7. When assessing the abdomen, what is the correct sequence of physical
examination techniques?
a) Inspection, Palpation, Percussion, Auscultation
b) Auscultation, Inspection, Percussion, Palpation
c) Percussion, Auscultation, Inspection, Palpation
d) Inspection, Auscultation, Percussion, Palpation
Correct Answer💜💜: d) Inspection, Auscultation, Percussion, Palpation
Rationale: The abdominal exam order differs from other systems. Because
palpation and percussion can alter bowel sounds, auscultation follows inspection
and precedes percussion and palpation .
8. The nurse places a patient in a supine position with the arms at the sides and
knees slightly bent. What is the primary reason for ensuring the knees are
slightly flexed?
a) To assess for knee contractures
b) To relax the abdominal muscles
c) To prevent the patient from falling off the bed
d) To allow for better visualization of the aortic pulsation
Comprehensive Test Bank
Newest 2025/2026 Update
EXAM BLUEPRINT
1. A nursing instructor asks a student to identify the quadrant where the
gallbladder is located. The correct response is which of the following?
a) Left Upper Quadrant (LUQ)
b) Left Lower Quadrant (LLQ)
c) Right Upper Quadrant (RUQ)
d) Right Lower Quadrant (RLQ)
Correct Answer💜💜: c) Right Upper Quadrant (RUQ)
Rationale: The gallbladder is located in the right upper quadrant (RUQ) of the
abdomen, nestled under the liver. The liver also occupies the RUQ .
2. While reviewing the anatomy of the digestive system, the student nurse
recalls that the majority of nutrient absorption occurs in which structure?
a) Stomach
b) Large intestine
,c) Small intestine
d) Esophagus
Correct Answer💜💜: c) Small intestine
Rationale: The small intestine is the primary site for the chemical digestion and
absorption of nutrients. The stomach主要负责 mechanical and chemical
digestion (chyme formation), while the large intestine absorbs water and
electrolytes .
3. A patient is admitted with suspected cholecystitis. The nurse understands
that this term refers to inflammation of which structure?
a) The appendix
b) The gallbladder
c) The stomach lining
d) The large intestine
Correct Answer💜💜: b) The gallbladder
Rationale: The prefix "chole-" refers to bile, and "-cyst" refers to the bladder.
Therefore, cholecystitis is inflammation of the gallbladder .
4. The nurse is palpating a structure located behind the stomach and directly
attached to the duodenum. This structure is responsible for producing insulin
and glucagon. Which organ is the nurse palpating?
a) Spleen
b) Liver
c) Pancreas
d) Gallbladder
,Correct Answer💜💜: c) Pancreas
Rationale: The pancreas is a retroperitoneal organ located behind the stomach. It
has both endocrine (insulin/glucagon) and exocrine (digestive enzymes)
functions .
Subjective GI Assessment
5. During a health history, a patient reports having "black, tarry stools" for the
past two days. How should the nurse accurately document this finding?
a) "Patient reports diarrhea with dark stools."
b) "Patient states he has been having melena for 24 hours."
c) "Patient states he has been having 'black stools' for the past two days."
d) "Patient is experiencing lower gastrointestinal bleeding."
Correct Answer💜💜: c) "Patient states he has been having 'black stools' for the
past two days."
Rationale: Documentation should use the patient's own words in quotation marks
when describing symptoms. "Melena" is the medical term for black, tarry stools,
which indicates digested blood, typically from an upper GI bleed .
6. The nurse is assessing a patient's nutritional status. Which question best
addresses the patient's "intake" patterns?
a) "How many meals a day do you eat?"
b) "Describe what you typically eat in a normal day."
c) "Do you have any allergies to food?"
d) "Have you had any unexplained weight loss?"
, Correct Answer💜💜: b) "Describe what you typically eat in a normal day."
Rationale: Open-ended questions about a typical day's intake provide a more
accurate and comprehensive picture of nutritional habits than simple closed-
ended questions about the number of meals.
Techniques of Physical Assessment (Inspection, Auscultation, Percussion,
Palpation)
7. When assessing the abdomen, what is the correct sequence of physical
examination techniques?
a) Inspection, Palpation, Percussion, Auscultation
b) Auscultation, Inspection, Percussion, Palpation
c) Percussion, Auscultation, Inspection, Palpation
d) Inspection, Auscultation, Percussion, Palpation
Correct Answer💜💜: d) Inspection, Auscultation, Percussion, Palpation
Rationale: The abdominal exam order differs from other systems. Because
palpation and percussion can alter bowel sounds, auscultation follows inspection
and precedes percussion and palpation .
8. The nurse places a patient in a supine position with the arms at the sides and
knees slightly bent. What is the primary reason for ensuring the knees are
slightly flexed?
a) To assess for knee contractures
b) To relax the abdominal muscles
c) To prevent the patient from falling off the bed
d) To allow for better visualization of the aortic pulsation
