HAP FINAL EXAM STUDY 2026
Questions and 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 - Correct 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?
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,a.Liver
b.Duodenum
c.Gallbladder
d.Sigmoid colon - Correct 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. - Correct 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.)
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,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. - Correct
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. - Correct answer-d (Gastric acid secretion
decreases with aging. As one ages, salivation decreases, esophageal emptying is
delayed, and liver size decreases.)
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, 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. -
Correct 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.
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Questions and 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 - Correct 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?
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,a.Liver
b.Duodenum
c.Gallbladder
d.Sigmoid colon - Correct 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. - Correct 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.)
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,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. - Correct
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. - Correct answer-d (Gastric acid secretion
decreases with aging. As one ages, salivation decreases, esophageal emptying is
delayed, and liver size decreases.)
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, 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. -
Correct 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.
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