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NURS 2571 MEDICAL SURGICAL NURSING FOR
NUTRITION EXAM 2025 |QUESTIONS AND CORRECT
DEATAILED ANSWERS WITH RATIONALES |ALREADY
PASSED A+
RATED
MULTIPLE CHOICES
A client asks the nurse what will happen to her digestion if she needs to have her appendix removed. The nurse
should respond that the purpose of the appendix is:
1. to digest food products and another organ will take over this function.
2. to absorb nutrients and another organ will take over this function.
3. to secrete enzymes and another organ will take over this function.
4. nothing, so no other organ will need to take over this function. - Correct Ans ✓✓ 4. nothing, so no other
organ will need to take over this function.
Rationale: The appendix is a blind-ended, tube-like structure exiting from the cecum, and it has no function in
humans. The appendix is not needed to digest food, absorb nutrients, or secrete enzymes.
Which of the following questions should the nurse ask while doing an assessment of a clients digestive system?
1. Were you breastfed or bottle-fed as an infant?
2. Do you have knowledge of the food pyramid?
3. What medication have you taken, even over-the-counter drugs?
4. Do you drink coffee or tea with meals? - Correct Ans ✓✓ 3. What medication have you taken, even over-the-
counter drugs?
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Rationale: During the assessment, it is very important to discover what medications or over-the-counter drugs
are being taken by the patient. Treatment and therapies may change because of this information. How the
client was fed as an infant is not a part of this assessment. Asking if the client has knowledge of the food
pyramid is not part of this assessment. If the client drinks coffee or tea with meals is not a part of this
assessment.
The nurse realizes that a client diagnosed with heartburn will most likely experiencing symptoms:
1. 1 hour before eating.
2. while eating a meal.
3. 1 hour after eating.
4. first thing in the morning. - Correct Ans ✓✓ 3. 1 hour after eating.
Rationales: Heartburn is a substernal burning sensation that is experienced within 1 hour after eating or 1 to 2
hours after reclining. Heartburn is not experienced before eating, while eating, or the first thing in the morning.
A client is experiencing straining at stool with the production of hard stools. The nurse realizes this client might
be diagnosed with constipation if the client also has:
1. fewer than six bowel movements per week.
2. fewer than five bowel movements per week.
3. fewer than four bowel movements per week.
4. fewer than three bowel movements per week - Correct Ans ✓✓ 4. fewer than three bowel movements per
week
Rationale: The number of bowel movements a client has is very individual, but if a client has fewer than three
bowel movements per week or must vigorously strain when passing stool, the client is considered to have
constipation. The other choices do not fit the criteria for the diagnosis of constipation.
The nurse is preparing to conduct an abdominal assessment on a client and realizes that this assessment
should be performed in the order of:
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1. inspection, palpation, auscultation, and percussion.
2. inspection, auscultation, percussion, and palpation.
3. auscultation, palpation, percussion, and inspection.
4. percussion, palpation, inspection, and auscultation. - Correct Ans ✓✓ 2. inspection, auscultation, percussion,
and palpation.
Rationale: The order of abdominal assessment is inspection, auscultation, percussion, and palpation.
Auscultation is performed second because palpation and percussion can alter bowel sounds. The other choices
list the incorrect order for conducting this assessment.
The nurse has determined a client has absent bowel sounds because no sounds have been heard in all four
quadrants for :
1. 1 minute.
2. 2 minutes.
3. 30 seconds.
4. 5 minutes. - Correct Ans ✓✓ 4. 5 minutes.
Rationale: The nurse must listen for 3 to 5 minutes before concluding the patient has absent bowel sounds.
Auscultating for 30 seconds or 1 or 2 minutes is not adequate to determine the absence of bowel sounds.
A client scheduled for a colonoscopy should be instructed regarding the need for:
1. serum blood specimens.
2. a bowel preparation.
3. pain medications prior to the test.
4. eating a full meal prior to the test. - Correct Ans ✓✓ 2. a bowel preparation.
Rationale: Bowel cleansing is necessary for all colonoscopy procedures. The bowel preparation selected
depends on the reasons for the procedure. Serum blood specimens are not needed for a colonoscopy. Pain
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medication is not typically needed prior to a colonoscopy. The client should take nothing by mouth for at least
6 hours before the colonoscopy.
A client, scheduled for a colonoscopy, is provided with a polyethylene glycol solution to ingest the day before
the test. Which of the following should the nurse instruct the client about this solution?
1. Keep the solution at room temperature.
2. Sip the solution throughout the day until bowel movements begin.
3. Drink 8 ounces of the solution every 10 minutes until totally consumed.
4. Drink 8 ounces of the solution every hour until bowel movements begin. - Correct Ans ✓✓ 3. Drink 8 ounces
of the solution every 10 minutes until totally consumed.
Rationale: The nurse should instruct the client to refrigerate the solution and drink 8 ounces of the
every 10 minutes until totally consumed. The solution should not be sipped throughout the day solution
or only taken until bowel movements begin.
When instructing a client on the three steps of a proctosigmoidoscopy, which of the following would not be
included?
1. Placement of a nasogastric (NG) tube for gastric deflation
2. Digital examination to dilate the anal sphincters to detect obstruction
3. Sigmoidoscope to examine the distal sigmoid colon and rectum
4. Proctoscope to examine the lower rectum and anal canal - Correct Ans ✓✓ 1. Placement of a nasogastric
(NG) tube for gastric deflation
Rationale: This is a diagnostic test that takes three steps: first, a digital examination; second, a sigmoidoscope;
and third, a proctoscope. An NG tube is not needed for this examination.
The nurse, planning care for a client diagnosed with severe facial trauma, realizes that which of the following
will not be used when caring for this client?
1. Blood pressure cuff
NURS 2571 MEDICAL SURGICAL NURSING FOR
NUTRITION EXAM 2025 |QUESTIONS AND CORRECT
DEATAILED ANSWERS WITH RATIONALES |ALREADY
PASSED A+
RATED
MULTIPLE CHOICES
A client asks the nurse what will happen to her digestion if she needs to have her appendix removed. The nurse
should respond that the purpose of the appendix is:
1. to digest food products and another organ will take over this function.
2. to absorb nutrients and another organ will take over this function.
3. to secrete enzymes and another organ will take over this function.
4. nothing, so no other organ will need to take over this function. - Correct Ans ✓✓ 4. nothing, so no other
organ will need to take over this function.
Rationale: The appendix is a blind-ended, tube-like structure exiting from the cecum, and it has no function in
humans. The appendix is not needed to digest food, absorb nutrients, or secrete enzymes.
Which of the following questions should the nurse ask while doing an assessment of a clients digestive system?
1. Were you breastfed or bottle-fed as an infant?
2. Do you have knowledge of the food pyramid?
3. What medication have you taken, even over-the-counter drugs?
4. Do you drink coffee or tea with meals? - Correct Ans ✓✓ 3. What medication have you taken, even over-the-
counter drugs?
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Rationale: During the assessment, it is very important to discover what medications or over-the-counter drugs
are being taken by the patient. Treatment and therapies may change because of this information. How the
client was fed as an infant is not a part of this assessment. Asking if the client has knowledge of the food
pyramid is not part of this assessment. If the client drinks coffee or tea with meals is not a part of this
assessment.
The nurse realizes that a client diagnosed with heartburn will most likely experiencing symptoms:
1. 1 hour before eating.
2. while eating a meal.
3. 1 hour after eating.
4. first thing in the morning. - Correct Ans ✓✓ 3. 1 hour after eating.
Rationales: Heartburn is a substernal burning sensation that is experienced within 1 hour after eating or 1 to 2
hours after reclining. Heartburn is not experienced before eating, while eating, or the first thing in the morning.
A client is experiencing straining at stool with the production of hard stools. The nurse realizes this client might
be diagnosed with constipation if the client also has:
1. fewer than six bowel movements per week.
2. fewer than five bowel movements per week.
3. fewer than four bowel movements per week.
4. fewer than three bowel movements per week - Correct Ans ✓✓ 4. fewer than three bowel movements per
week
Rationale: The number of bowel movements a client has is very individual, but if a client has fewer than three
bowel movements per week or must vigorously strain when passing stool, the client is considered to have
constipation. The other choices do not fit the criteria for the diagnosis of constipation.
The nurse is preparing to conduct an abdominal assessment on a client and realizes that this assessment
should be performed in the order of:
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1. inspection, palpation, auscultation, and percussion.
2. inspection, auscultation, percussion, and palpation.
3. auscultation, palpation, percussion, and inspection.
4. percussion, palpation, inspection, and auscultation. - Correct Ans ✓✓ 2. inspection, auscultation, percussion,
and palpation.
Rationale: The order of abdominal assessment is inspection, auscultation, percussion, and palpation.
Auscultation is performed second because palpation and percussion can alter bowel sounds. The other choices
list the incorrect order for conducting this assessment.
The nurse has determined a client has absent bowel sounds because no sounds have been heard in all four
quadrants for :
1. 1 minute.
2. 2 minutes.
3. 30 seconds.
4. 5 minutes. - Correct Ans ✓✓ 4. 5 minutes.
Rationale: The nurse must listen for 3 to 5 minutes before concluding the patient has absent bowel sounds.
Auscultating for 30 seconds or 1 or 2 minutes is not adequate to determine the absence of bowel sounds.
A client scheduled for a colonoscopy should be instructed regarding the need for:
1. serum blood specimens.
2. a bowel preparation.
3. pain medications prior to the test.
4. eating a full meal prior to the test. - Correct Ans ✓✓ 2. a bowel preparation.
Rationale: Bowel cleansing is necessary for all colonoscopy procedures. The bowel preparation selected
depends on the reasons for the procedure. Serum blood specimens are not needed for a colonoscopy. Pain
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medication is not typically needed prior to a colonoscopy. The client should take nothing by mouth for at least
6 hours before the colonoscopy.
A client, scheduled for a colonoscopy, is provided with a polyethylene glycol solution to ingest the day before
the test. Which of the following should the nurse instruct the client about this solution?
1. Keep the solution at room temperature.
2. Sip the solution throughout the day until bowel movements begin.
3. Drink 8 ounces of the solution every 10 minutes until totally consumed.
4. Drink 8 ounces of the solution every hour until bowel movements begin. - Correct Ans ✓✓ 3. Drink 8 ounces
of the solution every 10 minutes until totally consumed.
Rationale: The nurse should instruct the client to refrigerate the solution and drink 8 ounces of the
every 10 minutes until totally consumed. The solution should not be sipped throughout the day solution
or only taken until bowel movements begin.
When instructing a client on the three steps of a proctosigmoidoscopy, which of the following would not be
included?
1. Placement of a nasogastric (NG) tube for gastric deflation
2. Digital examination to dilate the anal sphincters to detect obstruction
3. Sigmoidoscope to examine the distal sigmoid colon and rectum
4. Proctoscope to examine the lower rectum and anal canal - Correct Ans ✓✓ 1. Placement of a nasogastric
(NG) tube for gastric deflation
Rationale: This is a diagnostic test that takes three steps: first, a digital examination; second, a sigmoidoscope;
and third, a proctoscope. An NG tube is not needed for this examination.
The nurse, planning care for a client diagnosed with severe facial trauma, realizes that which of the following
will not be used when caring for this client?
1. Blood pressure cuff
