Upper GI NCLEX Test Questions and Answers Graded A+
Which information about an 80-year-old man at the se- ANS: B
nior center is of most concern to the nurse? Unintentional weight loss is not a normal finding and may
indicate a problem such as cancer or depression. Poor
a. Decreased appetite appetite, diflculty in chewing, and complaints of indiges-
b. Unintended weight loss tion are common in older patients. These will need to be
c. Diflculty chewing food addressed but are not of as much concern as the weight
d. Complaints of indigestion loss
A 62- year-old man reports chronic constipation. To pro-
mote bowel evacuation, the nurse will suggest that the
patient attempt defecation ANS: B
The gastrocolic reflex is most active after the first daily
a. in the mid-afternoon. meal. Arising in the morning, the anticipation of eating,
b. after eating breakfast. and physical exercise do not stimulate these reflexes.
c. right after getting up in the morning.
d. immediately before the first daily meal.
When caring for a patient with a history of a total gastrec- ANS: D
tomy, the nurse will monitor for The patient with a total gastrectomy does not secrete
intrinsic factor, which is needed for cobalamin (vitamin
a. constipation. B12) absorption. Because the stomach absorbs only small
b. dehydration. amounts of water and nutrients, the patient is not at high-
c. elevated total serum cholesterol. er risk for dehydration, elevated cholesterol, or constipa-
d. cobalamin (vitamin B12) deficiency. tion.
The nurse will plan to monitor a patient with an obstructed ANS: B
common bile duct for A common bile duct obstruction will reduce the absorption
of fat in the small intestine, leading to fatty stools. Gas-
a. melena. trointestinal (GI) bleeding is not caused by common bile
b. steatorrhea. duct obstruction. Serum cholesterol levels are increased
c. decreased serum cholesterol levels. with biliary obstruction. Direct bilirubin level is increased
d. increased serum indirect bilirubin levels. with biliary obstruction
,Upper GI NCLEX Test Questions and Answers Graded A+
The nurse receives the following information about a
51-year-old woman who is scheduled for a colonoscopy.
Which information should be communicated to the health ANS: D
care provider before sending the patient for the proce- If the patient has had inadequate bowel preparation, the
dure? colon cannot be visualized and the procedure should be
rescheduled. Because contrast solution is not used dur-
a. The patient has a permanent pacemaker to prevent ing colonoscopy, the iodine allergy is not pertinent. A
bradycardia. pacemaker is a contraindication to magnetic resonance
b. The patient is worried about discomfort during the imaging (MRI), but not to colonoscopy. The nurse should
examination. instruct the patient about the sedation used during the
c. The patient has had an allergic reaction to shellfish and examination to decrease the patient's anxiety about dis-
iodine in the past. comfort
d. The patient refused to drink the ordered polyethylene
glycol (GoLYTELY).
Which statement to the nurse from a patient with jaundice
indicates a need for teaching?
ANS: C
a. "I used cough syrup several times a day last week." Chronic use of high doses of acetaminophen can be he-
b. "I take a baby aspirin every day to prevent strokes." patotoxic and may have caused the patient's jaundice. The
c. "I use acetaminophen (Tylenol) every 4 hours for back other patient statements require further assessment by
pain." the nurse, but do not indicate a need for patient education
d. "I need to take an antacid for indigestion several times
a week"
To palpate the liver during a head-to-toe physical assess-
ment, the nurse
ANS: A
a. places one hand on the patient's back and presses up-
The liver is normally not palpable below the costal margin.
ward and inward with the other hand below the patient's
The nurse needs to push inward below the right costal
right costal margin.
b. places one hand on top of the other and uses the upper
fingers to apply pressure and the bottom fingers to feel
,Upper GI NCLEX Test Questions and Answers Graded A+
for the liver edge.
c. presses slowly and firmly over the right costal margin
with one hand and withdraws the fingers quickly after the margin while lifting the patient's back slightly with the left
liver edge is felt. hand. The other methods will not allow palpation of the
d. places one hand under the patient's lower ribs and liver
presses the left lower rib cage forward, palpating below
the costal margin with the other hand.
Which finding by the nurse during abdominal ausculta-
tion indicates a need for a focused abdominal assess-
ment? ANS: C
Absent bowel sounds are abnormal and require further
a. Loud gurgles assessment by the nurse. The other sounds may be heard
b. High-pitched gurgles normally
c. Absent bowel sounds
d. Frequent clicking sounds
After assisting with a needle biopsy of the liver at a pa-
tient's bedside, the nurse should ANS: C
After a biopsy, the patient lies on the right side with the
a. put pressure on the biopsy site using a sandbag. bed flat to splint the biopsy site. Coagulation studies are
b. elevate the head of the bed to facilitate breathing. checked before the biopsy. A sandbag does not exert
c. place the patient on the right side with the bed flat. adequate pressure to splint the site
d. check the patient's postbiopsy coagulation studies.
A 42-year-old woman is admitted to the outpatient testing
area for an ultrasound of the gallbladder. Which informa- ANS: D
tion obtained by the nurse indicates that the ultrasound Food intake can cause the gallbladder to contract and
may need to be rescheduled? result in a suboptimal study. The patient should be NPO
for 8 to 12 hours before the test. A high-fat meal the
a. The patient took a laxative the previous evening. previous evening, laxative use, or a gastrostomy tube will
b. The patient had a high-fat meal the previous evening. not attect the results of the study.
c. The patient has a permanent gastrostomy tube in place.
Which information about an 80-year-old man at the se- ANS: B
nior center is of most concern to the nurse? Unintentional weight loss is not a normal finding and may
indicate a problem such as cancer or depression. Poor
a. Decreased appetite appetite, diflculty in chewing, and complaints of indiges-
b. Unintended weight loss tion are common in older patients. These will need to be
c. Diflculty chewing food addressed but are not of as much concern as the weight
d. Complaints of indigestion loss
A 62- year-old man reports chronic constipation. To pro-
mote bowel evacuation, the nurse will suggest that the
patient attempt defecation ANS: B
The gastrocolic reflex is most active after the first daily
a. in the mid-afternoon. meal. Arising in the morning, the anticipation of eating,
b. after eating breakfast. and physical exercise do not stimulate these reflexes.
c. right after getting up in the morning.
d. immediately before the first daily meal.
When caring for a patient with a history of a total gastrec- ANS: D
tomy, the nurse will monitor for The patient with a total gastrectomy does not secrete
intrinsic factor, which is needed for cobalamin (vitamin
a. constipation. B12) absorption. Because the stomach absorbs only small
b. dehydration. amounts of water and nutrients, the patient is not at high-
c. elevated total serum cholesterol. er risk for dehydration, elevated cholesterol, or constipa-
d. cobalamin (vitamin B12) deficiency. tion.
The nurse will plan to monitor a patient with an obstructed ANS: B
common bile duct for A common bile duct obstruction will reduce the absorption
of fat in the small intestine, leading to fatty stools. Gas-
a. melena. trointestinal (GI) bleeding is not caused by common bile
b. steatorrhea. duct obstruction. Serum cholesterol levels are increased
c. decreased serum cholesterol levels. with biliary obstruction. Direct bilirubin level is increased
d. increased serum indirect bilirubin levels. with biliary obstruction
,Upper GI NCLEX Test Questions and Answers Graded A+
The nurse receives the following information about a
51-year-old woman who is scheduled for a colonoscopy.
Which information should be communicated to the health ANS: D
care provider before sending the patient for the proce- If the patient has had inadequate bowel preparation, the
dure? colon cannot be visualized and the procedure should be
rescheduled. Because contrast solution is not used dur-
a. The patient has a permanent pacemaker to prevent ing colonoscopy, the iodine allergy is not pertinent. A
bradycardia. pacemaker is a contraindication to magnetic resonance
b. The patient is worried about discomfort during the imaging (MRI), but not to colonoscopy. The nurse should
examination. instruct the patient about the sedation used during the
c. The patient has had an allergic reaction to shellfish and examination to decrease the patient's anxiety about dis-
iodine in the past. comfort
d. The patient refused to drink the ordered polyethylene
glycol (GoLYTELY).
Which statement to the nurse from a patient with jaundice
indicates a need for teaching?
ANS: C
a. "I used cough syrup several times a day last week." Chronic use of high doses of acetaminophen can be he-
b. "I take a baby aspirin every day to prevent strokes." patotoxic and may have caused the patient's jaundice. The
c. "I use acetaminophen (Tylenol) every 4 hours for back other patient statements require further assessment by
pain." the nurse, but do not indicate a need for patient education
d. "I need to take an antacid for indigestion several times
a week"
To palpate the liver during a head-to-toe physical assess-
ment, the nurse
ANS: A
a. places one hand on the patient's back and presses up-
The liver is normally not palpable below the costal margin.
ward and inward with the other hand below the patient's
The nurse needs to push inward below the right costal
right costal margin.
b. places one hand on top of the other and uses the upper
fingers to apply pressure and the bottom fingers to feel
,Upper GI NCLEX Test Questions and Answers Graded A+
for the liver edge.
c. presses slowly and firmly over the right costal margin
with one hand and withdraws the fingers quickly after the margin while lifting the patient's back slightly with the left
liver edge is felt. hand. The other methods will not allow palpation of the
d. places one hand under the patient's lower ribs and liver
presses the left lower rib cage forward, palpating below
the costal margin with the other hand.
Which finding by the nurse during abdominal ausculta-
tion indicates a need for a focused abdominal assess-
ment? ANS: C
Absent bowel sounds are abnormal and require further
a. Loud gurgles assessment by the nurse. The other sounds may be heard
b. High-pitched gurgles normally
c. Absent bowel sounds
d. Frequent clicking sounds
After assisting with a needle biopsy of the liver at a pa-
tient's bedside, the nurse should ANS: C
After a biopsy, the patient lies on the right side with the
a. put pressure on the biopsy site using a sandbag. bed flat to splint the biopsy site. Coagulation studies are
b. elevate the head of the bed to facilitate breathing. checked before the biopsy. A sandbag does not exert
c. place the patient on the right side with the bed flat. adequate pressure to splint the site
d. check the patient's postbiopsy coagulation studies.
A 42-year-old woman is admitted to the outpatient testing
area for an ultrasound of the gallbladder. Which informa- ANS: D
tion obtained by the nurse indicates that the ultrasound Food intake can cause the gallbladder to contract and
may need to be rescheduled? result in a suboptimal study. The patient should be NPO
for 8 to 12 hours before the test. A high-fat meal the
a. The patient took a laxative the previous evening. previous evening, laxative use, or a gastrostomy tube will
b. The patient had a high-fat meal the previous evening. not attect the results of the study.
c. The patient has a permanent gastrostomy tube in place.
