Ostomy Care Practice Questions with
Correct Verified Answers. Latest 2026-
2027. Graded A
A patient is 2 days post-opt from an ileostomy placement. Which finding
requires immediate nursing action?
A. The stoma is excreting liquid stool.
B. The patient's potassium level is 2.0
C. The stoma is bright red and moist.
D. The patient reports mucoid drainage from the anus. - ANSThe answer is
B. A patient with an ileostomy is at risk for electrolyte imbalances. The
nurse should monitor the patient (especially after ileostomy surgery) for
these imbalances. A normal potassium is 3.5 to 5.1. Therefore, a level of
2.0 requires immediate nursing action. The nurse should contact the
physician for further orders. All the other options are normal findings found
with an ileostomy.
13. Which type of colostomy can allow a patient to have bowel continence?
A. Descending or Sigmoid Colostomy
B. Ascending or Transverse Colostomy
C. Transverse or Descending Colostomy
D. Ascending or Descending Colostomy - ANSThe answer is A. Patients
with a colostomy in locations most distal in the GI track have the highest
chance of bowel continence (hence, learn to control their bowel
movements).
1
, A patient has a double-barrel colostomy of the transverse colon. You note
on assessment two stomas, a proximal and distal stoma. What type of stool
do you expect to drain from the proximal and distal stomas?
A. Proximal: lose to partly formed stool; Distal: mucous
B. Proximal: liquid stool; Distal: mucous
C. Proximal: mucous; Distal: lose to partly formed stool
D. Proximal & Distal: lose to partly formed stool - ANSA. Proximal: lose to
partly formed stool; Distal: mucous
The answer is A. The proximal will drain stool while the distal will NOT. The
distal will drain mucous. Since it is a double-barrel colostomy of the
transverse colon, you can expect the stool to be lose to partly formed.
A patient is 8 hours post-opt from an colostomy placement. Which finding
requires immediate nursing action?
A. The stoma is swollen and large.
B. The stoma is black.
C. The stoma is not draining any stool.
D. The patient states the site is tender. - ANSThe answer is B. An
assessment finding of a stoma being black is not a normal finding but
represents compromised circulation to the stoma. It requires immediate
physician notification. The stoma should look red and be shiny/moist. It is
normal for a stoma to be swollen and large after surgery (this will subside
after a few months), and it is normal for the site to be tender due to the
surgery (this will subside as well) and for the stoma to not be draining any
2
Correct Verified Answers. Latest 2026-
2027. Graded A
A patient is 2 days post-opt from an ileostomy placement. Which finding
requires immediate nursing action?
A. The stoma is excreting liquid stool.
B. The patient's potassium level is 2.0
C. The stoma is bright red and moist.
D. The patient reports mucoid drainage from the anus. - ANSThe answer is
B. A patient with an ileostomy is at risk for electrolyte imbalances. The
nurse should monitor the patient (especially after ileostomy surgery) for
these imbalances. A normal potassium is 3.5 to 5.1. Therefore, a level of
2.0 requires immediate nursing action. The nurse should contact the
physician for further orders. All the other options are normal findings found
with an ileostomy.
13. Which type of colostomy can allow a patient to have bowel continence?
A. Descending or Sigmoid Colostomy
B. Ascending or Transverse Colostomy
C. Transverse or Descending Colostomy
D. Ascending or Descending Colostomy - ANSThe answer is A. Patients
with a colostomy in locations most distal in the GI track have the highest
chance of bowel continence (hence, learn to control their bowel
movements).
1
, A patient has a double-barrel colostomy of the transverse colon. You note
on assessment two stomas, a proximal and distal stoma. What type of stool
do you expect to drain from the proximal and distal stomas?
A. Proximal: lose to partly formed stool; Distal: mucous
B. Proximal: liquid stool; Distal: mucous
C. Proximal: mucous; Distal: lose to partly formed stool
D. Proximal & Distal: lose to partly formed stool - ANSA. Proximal: lose to
partly formed stool; Distal: mucous
The answer is A. The proximal will drain stool while the distal will NOT. The
distal will drain mucous. Since it is a double-barrel colostomy of the
transverse colon, you can expect the stool to be lose to partly formed.
A patient is 8 hours post-opt from an colostomy placement. Which finding
requires immediate nursing action?
A. The stoma is swollen and large.
B. The stoma is black.
C. The stoma is not draining any stool.
D. The patient states the site is tender. - ANSThe answer is B. An
assessment finding of a stoma being black is not a normal finding but
represents compromised circulation to the stoma. It requires immediate
physician notification. The stoma should look red and be shiny/moist. It is
normal for a stoma to be swollen and large after surgery (this will subside
after a few months), and it is normal for the site to be tender due to the
surgery (this will subside as well) and for the stoma to not be draining any
2
