NURS 190: Physical Assessment - Week 5 Abdominal and Nutritional
Assessment Quiz 2026 |WCU
1. When performing a physical assessment of the abdomen, in which order
should the nurse perform the examination techniques?
A. Inspection, Auscultation, Percussion, Palpation
B. Inspection, Palpation, Percussion, Auscultation
C. Auscultation, Inspection, Palpation, Percussion
D. Inspection, Percussion, Palpation, Auscultation
Answer: A
Rationale: Auscultation is performed second because palpation and percussion can
stimulate peristalsis and alter the frequency and character of bowel sounds.
2. The nurse is assessing a patient with suspected cholecystitis. Which specific
physical exam maneuver would the nurse perform?
A. McBurney’s point palpation
B. Murphy’s sign
C. Rovsing’s sign
D. Iliopsoas muscle test
Answer: B
Rationale: Murphy’s sign is positive when a patient experiences sharp pain and abruptly
stops inspiration while the nurse palpates the right upper quadrant under the liver border.
,3. Which sound is normally heard during percussion over most of the abdomen?
A. Resonance
B. Tympany
C. Dullness
D. Hyperresonance
Answer: B
Rationale: Tympany should predominate because air in the intestines rises to the surface
when the patient is supine.
4. A 25-year-old patient presents with pain in the Right Lower Quadrant (RLQ).
When the nurse palpates the Left Lower Quadrant (LLQ), the patient feels pain
in the RLQ. This is known as:
A. Murphy’s sign
B. Rovsing sign
C. Blumberg sign
D. Psoas sign
Answer: B
Rationale: Rovsing sign is the referred pain in the RLQ felt during palpation of the LLQ,
suggesting peritoneal irritation or appendicitis.
5. While auscultating the abdomen, the nurse notes a harsh, blowing sound
over the epigastric area. This finding is documented as:
A. Bruit
B. Borborygmi
C. Friction rub
D. Venous hum
Answer: A
Rationale: A bruit is a vascular sound indicating turbulent blood flow, often found in
patients with hypertension or aortic aneurysms.
, 6. What is the standard duration the nurse must listen in each quadrant before
documenting ‘absent bowel sounds’?
A. 1 minute
B. 2 minutes
C. 5 minutes
D. 10 minutes
Answer: C
Rationale: Bowel sounds must be absent for 5 full minutes in each quadrant to be officially
declared ‘absent’.
7. A patient has a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 28.5 kg/m². How should the nurse
categorize this finding?
A. Underweight
B. Normal weight
C. Overweight
D. Obese Class I
Answer: C
Rationale: A BMI between 25.0 and 29.9 is categorized as overweight.
8. Which laboratory value is the most sensitive indicator of recent or short-term
nutritional status changes?
A. Serum Albumin
B. Total Protein
C. Serum Prealbumin
D. Hemoglobin
Answer: C
Rationale: Prealbumin has a shorter half-life (2 days) compared to albumin (20 days),
making it more sensitive to acute changes.
Assessment Quiz 2026 |WCU
1. When performing a physical assessment of the abdomen, in which order
should the nurse perform the examination techniques?
A. Inspection, Auscultation, Percussion, Palpation
B. Inspection, Palpation, Percussion, Auscultation
C. Auscultation, Inspection, Palpation, Percussion
D. Inspection, Percussion, Palpation, Auscultation
Answer: A
Rationale: Auscultation is performed second because palpation and percussion can
stimulate peristalsis and alter the frequency and character of bowel sounds.
2. The nurse is assessing a patient with suspected cholecystitis. Which specific
physical exam maneuver would the nurse perform?
A. McBurney’s point palpation
B. Murphy’s sign
C. Rovsing’s sign
D. Iliopsoas muscle test
Answer: B
Rationale: Murphy’s sign is positive when a patient experiences sharp pain and abruptly
stops inspiration while the nurse palpates the right upper quadrant under the liver border.
,3. Which sound is normally heard during percussion over most of the abdomen?
A. Resonance
B. Tympany
C. Dullness
D. Hyperresonance
Answer: B
Rationale: Tympany should predominate because air in the intestines rises to the surface
when the patient is supine.
4. A 25-year-old patient presents with pain in the Right Lower Quadrant (RLQ).
When the nurse palpates the Left Lower Quadrant (LLQ), the patient feels pain
in the RLQ. This is known as:
A. Murphy’s sign
B. Rovsing sign
C. Blumberg sign
D. Psoas sign
Answer: B
Rationale: Rovsing sign is the referred pain in the RLQ felt during palpation of the LLQ,
suggesting peritoneal irritation or appendicitis.
5. While auscultating the abdomen, the nurse notes a harsh, blowing sound
over the epigastric area. This finding is documented as:
A. Bruit
B. Borborygmi
C. Friction rub
D. Venous hum
Answer: A
Rationale: A bruit is a vascular sound indicating turbulent blood flow, often found in
patients with hypertension or aortic aneurysms.
, 6. What is the standard duration the nurse must listen in each quadrant before
documenting ‘absent bowel sounds’?
A. 1 minute
B. 2 minutes
C. 5 minutes
D. 10 minutes
Answer: C
Rationale: Bowel sounds must be absent for 5 full minutes in each quadrant to be officially
declared ‘absent’.
7. A patient has a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 28.5 kg/m². How should the nurse
categorize this finding?
A. Underweight
B. Normal weight
C. Overweight
D. Obese Class I
Answer: C
Rationale: A BMI between 25.0 and 29.9 is categorized as overweight.
8. Which laboratory value is the most sensitive indicator of recent or short-term
nutritional status changes?
A. Serum Albumin
B. Total Protein
C. Serum Prealbumin
D. Hemoglobin
Answer: C
Rationale: Prealbumin has a shorter half-life (2 days) compared to albumin (20 days),
making it more sensitive to acute changes.
