HAP FINAL EXAM STUDY QUESTIONS
WITH 100% CORRECT ANSWERS.
The nurse is percussing the seventh right intercostal space at the midclavicular line
over the liver. Which sound should the nurse expect to hear?
a. Dullness
b. Tympany
c. Resonance
d. Hyperresonance Answer- a (The liver is located in the right upper quadrant and
would elicit a dull percussion note.)
Which structure is located in the left lower quadrant of the abdomen?
a. Liver
b. Duodenum
c. Gallbladder
d. Sigmoid colon Answer- d (The sigmoid colon is located in the left lower quadrant
of the abdomen.)
A patient is having difficulty swallowing medications and food. The nurse would
document that this patient has:
a. Aphasia.
b. Dysphasia.
c. Dysphagia.
d. Anorexia. Answer- c (Dysphagia is a condition that occurs with disorders of the
throat or esophagus and results in difficulty swallowing. Aphasia and dysphasia are
speech disorders. Anorexia is a loss of appetite.)
The nurse suspects that a patient has a distended bladder. How should the nurse
assess for this condition?
a. Percuss and palpate in the lumbar region.
b. Inspect and palpate in the epigastric region.
c. Auscultate and percuss in the inguinal region.
d. Percuss and palpate the midline area above the suprapubic bone. Answer- d (Dull
percussion sounds would be elicited over a distended bladder, and the hypogastric
area would seem firm to palpation.)
,The nurse is aware that one change that may occur in the gastrointestinal system of
an aging adult is:
a. Increased salivation.
b. Increased liver size.
c. Increased esophageal emptying.
d. Decreased gastric acid secretion. Answer- d (Gastric acid secretion decreases
with aging. As one ages, salivation decreases, esophageal emptying is delayed, and
liver size decreases.)
A 22-year-old man comes to the clinic for an examination after falling off his
motorcycle and landing on his left side on the handle bars. The nurse suspects that
he may have injured his spleen. Which of these statements is true regarding
assessment of the spleen in this situation?
a. The spleen can be enlarged as a result of trauma.
b. The spleen is normally felt on routine palpation.
c. If an enlarged spleen is noted, then the nurse should thoroughly palpate to
determine its size.
d. An enlarged spleen should not be palpated because it can easily rupture. Answer-
d (If an enlarged spleen is felt, then the nurse should refer the person and should not
continue to palpate it. An enlarged spleen is friable and can easily rupture with
overpalpation.)
A patient's abdomen is bulging and stretched in appearance. The nurse should
describe this finding as:
a. Obese.
b. Herniated.
c. Scaphoid.
d. Protuberant. Answer- d (A protuberant abdomen is rounded, bulging, and
stretched (see Figure 21-7). A scaphoid abdomen caves inward.)
The nurse is describing a scaphoid abdomen. To the horizontal plane, a scaphoid
contour of the abdomen depicts a profile.
a. Flat
b. Convex
c. Bulging
d. Concave Answer- d (Contour describes the profile of the abdomen from the rib
margin to the pubic bone; a scaphoid contour is one that is concave from a
horizontal plane (see Figure 21-7).)
While examining a patient, the nurse observes abdominal pulsations between the
xiphoid process and umbilicus. The nurse would suspect that these are:
a. Pulsations of the renal arteries.
b. Pulsations of the inferior vena cava.
c. Normal abdominal aortic pulsations.
d. Increased peristalsis from a bowel obstruction. Answer- c (Normally, the
pulsations from the aorta are observed beneath the skin in the epigastric area,
particularly in thin persons who have good muscle wall relaxation.)
A patient has hypoactive bowel sounds. The nurse knows that a potential cause of
hypoactive bowel sounds is:
,a. Diarrhea.
b. Peritonitis.
c. Laxative use.
d. Gastroenteritis. Answer- B
(Diminished or absent bowel sounds signal decreased motility from inflammation as
exhibited with peritonitis, with paralytic ileus after abdominal surgery, or with late
bowel obstruction.)
The nurse is watching a new graduate nurse perform auscultation of a patient's
abdomen. Which statement by the new graduate shows a correct understanding of
the reason auscultation precedes percussion and palpation of the abdomen?
a. "We need to determine the areas of tenderness before using percussion and
palpation."
b. "Auscultation prevents distortion of bowel sounds that might occur after
percussion and palpation."
c. "Auscultation allows the patient more time to relax and therefore be more
comfortable with the physical examination."
d. "Auscultation prevents distortion of vascular sounds, such as bruits and hums, that
might occur after percussion and palpation." Answer- B
(Auscultation is performed first (after inspection) because percussion and palpation
can increase peristalsis, which would give a false interpretation of bowel sounds.)
The nurse is listening to bowel sounds. Which of these statements is true of bowel
sounds? Bowel sounds:
a. Are usually loud, high-pitched, rushing, and tinkling sounds.
b. Are usually high-pitched, gurgling, and irregular sounds.
c. Sound like two pieces of leather being rubbed together.
d. Originate from the movement of air and fluid through the large intestine. Answer-
B
(Bowel sounds are high-pitched, gurgling, and cascading sounds that irregularly
occur from 5 to 30 times per minute. They originate from the movement of air and
fluid through the small intestine.)
The physician comments that a patient has abdominal borborygmi. The nurse knows
that this term refers to:
a. Loud continual hum.
b. Peritoneal friction rub.
c. Hypoactive bowel sounds.
d. Hyperactive bowel sounds. Answer- D
(Borborygmi is the term used for hyperperistalsis when the person actually feels his
or her stomach growling.)
During an abdominal assessment, the nurse would consider which of these findings
as normal?
a. Presence of a bruit in the femoral area
b. Tympanic percussion note in the umbilical region
c. Palpable spleen between the ninth and eleventh ribs in the left midaxillary line
d. Dull percussion note in the left upper quadrant at the midclavicular line Answer- B
(Tympany should predominate in all four quadrants of the abdomen because air in
the intestines rises to the surface when the person is supine. Vascular bruits are not
, usually present. Normally, the spleen is not palpable. Dullness would not be found in
the area of lung resonance (left upper quadrant at the midclavicular line).)
The nurse is assessing the abdomen of a pregnant woman who is complaining of
having "acid indigestion" all the time. The nurse knows that esophageal reflux during
pregnancy can cause:
a. Diarrhea.
b. Pyrosis.
c. Dysphagia.
d. Constipation. Answer- b (Pyrosis, or heartburn, is caused by esophageal reflux
during pregnancy. The other options are not correct.)
The nurse is performing percussion during an abdominal assessment. Percussion
notes heard during the abdominal assessment may include:
a. Flatness, resonance, and dullness.
b. Resonance, dullness, and tympany.
c. Tympany, hyperresonance, and dullness.
d. Resonance, hyperresonance, and flatness. Answer- C
(Percussion notes normally heard during the abdominal assessment may include
tympany, which should predominate because air in the intestines rises to the surface
when the person is supine; hyperresonance, which may be present with gaseous
distention; and dullness, which may be found over a distended bladder, adipose
tissue, fluid, or a mass.)
An older patient has been diagnosed with pernicious anemia. The nurse knows that
this condition could be related to:
a. Increased gastric acid secretion.
b. Decreased gastric acid secretion.
c. Delayed gastrointestinal emptying time.
d. Increased gastrointestinal emptying time. Answer- B
(Gastric acid secretion decreases with aging and may cause pernicious anemia
(because it interferes with vitamin B12 absorption), iron-deficiency anemia, and
malabsorption of calcium.)
A patient is complaining of a sharp pain along the costovertebral angles. The nurse
is aware that this symptom is most often indicative of:
a. Ovary infection.
b. Liver enlargement.
c. Kidney inflammation.
d. Spleen enlargement. Answer- C
(Sharp pain along the costovertebral angles occurs with inflammation of the kidney
or paranephric area. The other options are not correct.)
A nurse notices that a patient has ascites, which indicates the presence of:
a. Fluid.
b. Feces.
c. Flatus.
d. Fibroid tumors. Answer- A
(Ascites is free fluid in the peritoneal cavity and occurs with heart failure, portal
hypertension, cirrhosis, hepatitis, pancreatitis, and cancer.)
WITH 100% CORRECT ANSWERS.
The nurse is percussing the seventh right intercostal space at the midclavicular line
over the liver. Which sound should the nurse expect to hear?
a. Dullness
b. Tympany
c. Resonance
d. Hyperresonance Answer- a (The liver is located in the right upper quadrant and
would elicit a dull percussion note.)
Which structure is located in the left lower quadrant of the abdomen?
a. Liver
b. Duodenum
c. Gallbladder
d. Sigmoid colon Answer- d (The sigmoid colon is located in the left lower quadrant
of the abdomen.)
A patient is having difficulty swallowing medications and food. The nurse would
document that this patient has:
a. Aphasia.
b. Dysphasia.
c. Dysphagia.
d. Anorexia. Answer- c (Dysphagia is a condition that occurs with disorders of the
throat or esophagus and results in difficulty swallowing. Aphasia and dysphasia are
speech disorders. Anorexia is a loss of appetite.)
The nurse suspects that a patient has a distended bladder. How should the nurse
assess for this condition?
a. Percuss and palpate in the lumbar region.
b. Inspect and palpate in the epigastric region.
c. Auscultate and percuss in the inguinal region.
d. Percuss and palpate the midline area above the suprapubic bone. Answer- d (Dull
percussion sounds would be elicited over a distended bladder, and the hypogastric
area would seem firm to palpation.)
,The nurse is aware that one change that may occur in the gastrointestinal system of
an aging adult is:
a. Increased salivation.
b. Increased liver size.
c. Increased esophageal emptying.
d. Decreased gastric acid secretion. Answer- d (Gastric acid secretion decreases
with aging. As one ages, salivation decreases, esophageal emptying is delayed, and
liver size decreases.)
A 22-year-old man comes to the clinic for an examination after falling off his
motorcycle and landing on his left side on the handle bars. The nurse suspects that
he may have injured his spleen. Which of these statements is true regarding
assessment of the spleen in this situation?
a. The spleen can be enlarged as a result of trauma.
b. The spleen is normally felt on routine palpation.
c. If an enlarged spleen is noted, then the nurse should thoroughly palpate to
determine its size.
d. An enlarged spleen should not be palpated because it can easily rupture. Answer-
d (If an enlarged spleen is felt, then the nurse should refer the person and should not
continue to palpate it. An enlarged spleen is friable and can easily rupture with
overpalpation.)
A patient's abdomen is bulging and stretched in appearance. The nurse should
describe this finding as:
a. Obese.
b. Herniated.
c. Scaphoid.
d. Protuberant. Answer- d (A protuberant abdomen is rounded, bulging, and
stretched (see Figure 21-7). A scaphoid abdomen caves inward.)
The nurse is describing a scaphoid abdomen. To the horizontal plane, a scaphoid
contour of the abdomen depicts a profile.
a. Flat
b. Convex
c. Bulging
d. Concave Answer- d (Contour describes the profile of the abdomen from the rib
margin to the pubic bone; a scaphoid contour is one that is concave from a
horizontal plane (see Figure 21-7).)
While examining a patient, the nurse observes abdominal pulsations between the
xiphoid process and umbilicus. The nurse would suspect that these are:
a. Pulsations of the renal arteries.
b. Pulsations of the inferior vena cava.
c. Normal abdominal aortic pulsations.
d. Increased peristalsis from a bowel obstruction. Answer- c (Normally, the
pulsations from the aorta are observed beneath the skin in the epigastric area,
particularly in thin persons who have good muscle wall relaxation.)
A patient has hypoactive bowel sounds. The nurse knows that a potential cause of
hypoactive bowel sounds is:
,a. Diarrhea.
b. Peritonitis.
c. Laxative use.
d. Gastroenteritis. Answer- B
(Diminished or absent bowel sounds signal decreased motility from inflammation as
exhibited with peritonitis, with paralytic ileus after abdominal surgery, or with late
bowel obstruction.)
The nurse is watching a new graduate nurse perform auscultation of a patient's
abdomen. Which statement by the new graduate shows a correct understanding of
the reason auscultation precedes percussion and palpation of the abdomen?
a. "We need to determine the areas of tenderness before using percussion and
palpation."
b. "Auscultation prevents distortion of bowel sounds that might occur after
percussion and palpation."
c. "Auscultation allows the patient more time to relax and therefore be more
comfortable with the physical examination."
d. "Auscultation prevents distortion of vascular sounds, such as bruits and hums, that
might occur after percussion and palpation." Answer- B
(Auscultation is performed first (after inspection) because percussion and palpation
can increase peristalsis, which would give a false interpretation of bowel sounds.)
The nurse is listening to bowel sounds. Which of these statements is true of bowel
sounds? Bowel sounds:
a. Are usually loud, high-pitched, rushing, and tinkling sounds.
b. Are usually high-pitched, gurgling, and irregular sounds.
c. Sound like two pieces of leather being rubbed together.
d. Originate from the movement of air and fluid through the large intestine. Answer-
B
(Bowel sounds are high-pitched, gurgling, and cascading sounds that irregularly
occur from 5 to 30 times per minute. They originate from the movement of air and
fluid through the small intestine.)
The physician comments that a patient has abdominal borborygmi. The nurse knows
that this term refers to:
a. Loud continual hum.
b. Peritoneal friction rub.
c. Hypoactive bowel sounds.
d. Hyperactive bowel sounds. Answer- D
(Borborygmi is the term used for hyperperistalsis when the person actually feels his
or her stomach growling.)
During an abdominal assessment, the nurse would consider which of these findings
as normal?
a. Presence of a bruit in the femoral area
b. Tympanic percussion note in the umbilical region
c. Palpable spleen between the ninth and eleventh ribs in the left midaxillary line
d. Dull percussion note in the left upper quadrant at the midclavicular line Answer- B
(Tympany should predominate in all four quadrants of the abdomen because air in
the intestines rises to the surface when the person is supine. Vascular bruits are not
, usually present. Normally, the spleen is not palpable. Dullness would not be found in
the area of lung resonance (left upper quadrant at the midclavicular line).)
The nurse is assessing the abdomen of a pregnant woman who is complaining of
having "acid indigestion" all the time. The nurse knows that esophageal reflux during
pregnancy can cause:
a. Diarrhea.
b. Pyrosis.
c. Dysphagia.
d. Constipation. Answer- b (Pyrosis, or heartburn, is caused by esophageal reflux
during pregnancy. The other options are not correct.)
The nurse is performing percussion during an abdominal assessment. Percussion
notes heard during the abdominal assessment may include:
a. Flatness, resonance, and dullness.
b. Resonance, dullness, and tympany.
c. Tympany, hyperresonance, and dullness.
d. Resonance, hyperresonance, and flatness. Answer- C
(Percussion notes normally heard during the abdominal assessment may include
tympany, which should predominate because air in the intestines rises to the surface
when the person is supine; hyperresonance, which may be present with gaseous
distention; and dullness, which may be found over a distended bladder, adipose
tissue, fluid, or a mass.)
An older patient has been diagnosed with pernicious anemia. The nurse knows that
this condition could be related to:
a. Increased gastric acid secretion.
b. Decreased gastric acid secretion.
c. Delayed gastrointestinal emptying time.
d. Increased gastrointestinal emptying time. Answer- B
(Gastric acid secretion decreases with aging and may cause pernicious anemia
(because it interferes with vitamin B12 absorption), iron-deficiency anemia, and
malabsorption of calcium.)
A patient is complaining of a sharp pain along the costovertebral angles. The nurse
is aware that this symptom is most often indicative of:
a. Ovary infection.
b. Liver enlargement.
c. Kidney inflammation.
d. Spleen enlargement. Answer- C
(Sharp pain along the costovertebral angles occurs with inflammation of the kidney
or paranephric area. The other options are not correct.)
A nurse notices that a patient has ascites, which indicates the presence of:
a. Fluid.
b. Feces.
c. Flatus.
d. Fibroid tumors. Answer- A
(Ascites is free fluid in the peritoneal cavity and occurs with heart failure, portal
hypertension, cirrhosis, hepatitis, pancreatitis, and cancer.)
