1.A patient reports severe abdominal pain and pain in the right shoulder that gets worse after eating fried foods

1.A patient reports severe abdominal pain and pain in the right shoulder that gets worse after eating fried foods. What question does the nurse ask to gather more data about the possibility of cholelithiasis?

1. “Has your abdomen been distended?”

2. “Have you experienced fever, chills, or sweating?”

3. “Have you vomited up any blood in the last 24 hours?”

4. “Has the color of your urine or stools changed?”

2. The nurse is interviewing a patient with a history of flank pain, fever, and chills. Which examination technique is most appropriate for this patient?

1. Percussion of the costovertebral angle

2. Deep palpation of the lower abdomen

3. Palpation of the kidney for contour

4. Auscultation of the lower quadrants of the abdomen

3. A patient reports a gnawing, burning pain in the midepigastric area that is aggravated by bending over or lying down. Which additional question does the nurse ask as part of a symptom analysis?

1. “Do you have a family history of this type of pain?”

2. “How long ago did you eat?”

3. “Is the pain worse after eating or when your stomach is empty?”

4. “Have you noticed any yellow coloring in your eyes or on your skin?”

4. Which organs is the nurse assessing during palpation of the right upper quadrant of the abdomen?

1. Liver and gallbladder

2. Stomach and spleen

3. Uterus, if enlarged, and right ovary

4. Right ureter and ascending colon

5. Using deep palpation of a patient’s epigastrium, a nurse feels a rhythmic pulsation of the aorta. Based on this finding, what is the nurse’s most appropriate response?

1. Auscultate this area using the bell of the stethoscope.

2. Percuss the area for tones.

3. Document this as an expected finding.

4. Ask the patient if there is pain in this area.

6. When assessing an adult’s liver, the nurse percusses the lower border and finds it to be 5 cm below the costal margin. What is the nurse’s appropriate action at this time?

1. Document this as an expected finding for this adult

2. Palpate the upper liver border on deep inspiration

3. Palpate the gallbladder for tenderness

4. Use the hooking technique to palpate the lower border of the liver

7. Which is an abnormal sound the nurse would detect when auscultating the abdomen using the bell of the stethoscope?

1. High-pitched gurgles

2. Borborygmi

3. Venous hum

4. Absent bowel sounds

8. Which technique does the nurse use to palpate a patient’s abdomen?

1. Asks the patient to breath slowly though the mouth

2. Uses the heel of the hand to perform deep palpation

3. Uses the left hand to lift the rib cage away from the abdominal organs

4. Uses the pads of the fingertips to depress the abdomen.

9. A nurse inspects the abdomen for skin color, surface characteristics, and surface movement. What part of the abdominal assessment does the nurse perform next?

1. Palpate lightly for tenderness and muscle tone

2. Auscultate for bowel sounds

3. Palpate deeply for masses or aortic pulsation

4. Percuss for tones

10. A patient reports having abdominal fullness and having vomited several times yesterday and today. What question is appropriate for the nurse to ask in response to this information?

1. “Has there been a change in the amount of the distention?”

2. “Did you have heartburn before the vomiting?”

3. “What did the vomitus look like?”

4. “Have you noticed a change in the color of your urine or stools?