NURS 327 EXAM 3 ACTUAL EXAM 2026 | ALL QUESTIONS AND
CORRECT ANSWERS | VERIFIED ANSWERS | JUST RELEASED | LATEST
VERSION
Question 1
The nurse is performing and documenting the findings of an abdominal assessment. When the
nurse hears intestinal rumbling and the patient then experiences diarrhea, the nurse documents
the presence of which of the following?
A) Borborygmus
B) Tenesmus
C) Diverticulitis
D) Steatorrhea
E) Peristalsis
Correct Answer: A) Borborygmus
Rationale: Borborygmus is the medical term for the audible rumbling or gurgling noise made
by the movement of fluid and gas in the intestines, which is often associated with hyperactive
bowel sounds and diarrhea.
Question 2
A longitudinal tear or ulceration in the lining of the anal canal is termed a(n):
A) Hemorrhoid
B) Anal Fistula
C) Anal Fissure
D) Pilonidal Cyst
E) Anal Abscess
Correct Answer: C) Anal Fissure
Rationale: This is the specific definition of an anal fissure, which is a small tear in the thin,
moist tissue (mucosa) that lines the anus, often caused by passing hard or large stools.
Question 3
In women, which of the following types of cancer is more common than colorectal cancer?
A) Lung cancer
,B) Ovarian cancer
C) Cervical cancer
D) Breast cancer
E) Skin cancer
Correct Answer: D) Breast cancer
Rationale: While colorectal cancer is a leading cause of cancer death, breast cancer is the most
commonly diagnosed cancer among women in the United States and exceeds colorectal
cancer in incidence.
Question 4
A nurse is helping to plan a teaching session for a client who will be discharged with a
colostomy. Which statement accurately describes a healthy stoma?
A) "The stoma will be a dark purple or black color."
B) "At first, the stoma may bleed a little when touched or cleaned."
C) "A healthy stoma should be flush with the skin."
D) "The stoma will be painful to the touch for the first few weeks."
E) "You should expect a large amount of foul-smelling drainage."
Correct Answer: B) "At first, the stoma may bleed a little when touched or cleaned."
Rationale: A new stoma is highly vascular and may ooze a small amount of blood when gently
cleaned. This is a normal finding. A healthy stoma should be moist and beefy red or pink, not
purple or black, and should not be painful as it has no nerve endings.
Question 5
A client is admitted to the hospital for diagnostic testing to rule out colorectal cancer. Which
intervention should the nurse include on the plan of care?
A) Administer a daily laxative.
B) Place the client on a clear liquid diet.
C) Test all stools for occult blood.
D) Prepare the client for a barium swallow.
E) Encourage a high-fiber diet.
,Correct Answer: C) Test all stools for occult blood.
Rationale: Colorectal cancers often bleed slowly and intermittently into the GI tract. Testing
the stool for fecal occult blood (e.g., with a guaiac test) is a key screening and diagnostic
intervention to detect this hidden bleeding.
Question 6
The nurse is performing a community screening for colorectal cancer. The nurse should identify
which of the following as a significant risk factor?
A) A history of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
B) A personal history of familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP).
C) A diet high in fiber.
D) Age younger than 40.
E) A history of hemorrhoids.
Correct Answer: B) A personal history of familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP).
Rationale: Familial polyposis is a genetic disorder characterized by the development of
hundreds to thousands of polyps in the colon. It carries a nearly 100% risk of developing into
colorectal cancer if the colon is not removed.
Question 7
The nurse assesses a client's abdomen and finds no bowel sounds, and the abdomen is rigid and
boardlike. The nurse suspects which complication?
A) Bowel obstruction
B) Gastroenteritis
C) Peritonitis
D) Appendicitis
E) Diverticulitis
Correct Answer: C) Peritonitis
Rationale: Peritonitis is the inflammation of the peritoneum, the lining of the abdominal
cavity, usually due to a bacterial infection following a ruptured organ. The classic signs are
, severe abdominal pain, a rigid or "boardlike" abdomen, and absent bowel sounds due to
paralytic ileus.
Question 8
Which of the following is the most common presenting symptom of colon cancer?
A) Severe abdominal pain
B) Unexplained weight loss
C) A palpable abdominal mass
D) Change in bowel habits
E) Nausea and vomiting
Correct Answer: D) Change in bowel habits
Rationale: The most common and often earliest symptom of colorectal cancer is a persistent
change in bowel habits, such as diarrhea, constipation, a change in stool consistency, or a
feeling of incomplete evacuation.
Question 9
A client with an intestinal obstruction is on NPO status and has an NG tube to suction. The
client's medication list includes digoxin. The nurse should monitor the client closely for which of
the following?
A) Hyperkalemia
B) Hypokalemia
C) Hypernatremia
D) Hyponatremia
E) Hypocalcemia
Correct Answer: B) Hypokalemia
Rationale: Gastric suctioning removes stomach acid, which contains potassium and hydrogen
ions. This can lead to both metabolic alkalosis and hypokalemia. Hypokalemia is a significant
concern because it greatly increases the risk of digoxin toxicity.
Question 10
A patient with an ileostomy should be taught to avoid which of the following types of
CORRECT ANSWERS | VERIFIED ANSWERS | JUST RELEASED | LATEST
VERSION
Question 1
The nurse is performing and documenting the findings of an abdominal assessment. When the
nurse hears intestinal rumbling and the patient then experiences diarrhea, the nurse documents
the presence of which of the following?
A) Borborygmus
B) Tenesmus
C) Diverticulitis
D) Steatorrhea
E) Peristalsis
Correct Answer: A) Borborygmus
Rationale: Borborygmus is the medical term for the audible rumbling or gurgling noise made
by the movement of fluid and gas in the intestines, which is often associated with hyperactive
bowel sounds and diarrhea.
Question 2
A longitudinal tear or ulceration in the lining of the anal canal is termed a(n):
A) Hemorrhoid
B) Anal Fistula
C) Anal Fissure
D) Pilonidal Cyst
E) Anal Abscess
Correct Answer: C) Anal Fissure
Rationale: This is the specific definition of an anal fissure, which is a small tear in the thin,
moist tissue (mucosa) that lines the anus, often caused by passing hard or large stools.
Question 3
In women, which of the following types of cancer is more common than colorectal cancer?
A) Lung cancer
,B) Ovarian cancer
C) Cervical cancer
D) Breast cancer
E) Skin cancer
Correct Answer: D) Breast cancer
Rationale: While colorectal cancer is a leading cause of cancer death, breast cancer is the most
commonly diagnosed cancer among women in the United States and exceeds colorectal
cancer in incidence.
Question 4
A nurse is helping to plan a teaching session for a client who will be discharged with a
colostomy. Which statement accurately describes a healthy stoma?
A) "The stoma will be a dark purple or black color."
B) "At first, the stoma may bleed a little when touched or cleaned."
C) "A healthy stoma should be flush with the skin."
D) "The stoma will be painful to the touch for the first few weeks."
E) "You should expect a large amount of foul-smelling drainage."
Correct Answer: B) "At first, the stoma may bleed a little when touched or cleaned."
Rationale: A new stoma is highly vascular and may ooze a small amount of blood when gently
cleaned. This is a normal finding. A healthy stoma should be moist and beefy red or pink, not
purple or black, and should not be painful as it has no nerve endings.
Question 5
A client is admitted to the hospital for diagnostic testing to rule out colorectal cancer. Which
intervention should the nurse include on the plan of care?
A) Administer a daily laxative.
B) Place the client on a clear liquid diet.
C) Test all stools for occult blood.
D) Prepare the client for a barium swallow.
E) Encourage a high-fiber diet.
,Correct Answer: C) Test all stools for occult blood.
Rationale: Colorectal cancers often bleed slowly and intermittently into the GI tract. Testing
the stool for fecal occult blood (e.g., with a guaiac test) is a key screening and diagnostic
intervention to detect this hidden bleeding.
Question 6
The nurse is performing a community screening for colorectal cancer. The nurse should identify
which of the following as a significant risk factor?
A) A history of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
B) A personal history of familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP).
C) A diet high in fiber.
D) Age younger than 40.
E) A history of hemorrhoids.
Correct Answer: B) A personal history of familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP).
Rationale: Familial polyposis is a genetic disorder characterized by the development of
hundreds to thousands of polyps in the colon. It carries a nearly 100% risk of developing into
colorectal cancer if the colon is not removed.
Question 7
The nurse assesses a client's abdomen and finds no bowel sounds, and the abdomen is rigid and
boardlike. The nurse suspects which complication?
A) Bowel obstruction
B) Gastroenteritis
C) Peritonitis
D) Appendicitis
E) Diverticulitis
Correct Answer: C) Peritonitis
Rationale: Peritonitis is the inflammation of the peritoneum, the lining of the abdominal
cavity, usually due to a bacterial infection following a ruptured organ. The classic signs are
, severe abdominal pain, a rigid or "boardlike" abdomen, and absent bowel sounds due to
paralytic ileus.
Question 8
Which of the following is the most common presenting symptom of colon cancer?
A) Severe abdominal pain
B) Unexplained weight loss
C) A palpable abdominal mass
D) Change in bowel habits
E) Nausea and vomiting
Correct Answer: D) Change in bowel habits
Rationale: The most common and often earliest symptom of colorectal cancer is a persistent
change in bowel habits, such as diarrhea, constipation, a change in stool consistency, or a
feeling of incomplete evacuation.
Question 9
A client with an intestinal obstruction is on NPO status and has an NG tube to suction. The
client's medication list includes digoxin. The nurse should monitor the client closely for which of
the following?
A) Hyperkalemia
B) Hypokalemia
C) Hypernatremia
D) Hyponatremia
E) Hypocalcemia
Correct Answer: B) Hypokalemia
Rationale: Gastric suctioning removes stomach acid, which contains potassium and hydrogen
ions. This can lead to both metabolic alkalosis and hypokalemia. Hypokalemia is a significant
concern because it greatly increases the risk of digoxin toxicity.
Question 10
A patient with an ileostomy should be taught to avoid which of the following types of
