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Abdominal Assessment Case Study Questions and Answers | Latest Version | 2025/2026 | Correct & Verified
A nurse is assessing a client who reports nausea, vomiting, and severe epigastric pain radiating to the back. The abdomen is tender and bowel sounds are hypoactive. Which condition should the nurse suspect?
- Appendicitis
- Diverticulitis
- Gastritis
✔✔ B. Acute pancreatitis
A client presents with right lower quadrant pain, fever, and rebound tenderness. Which follow-up action should the nurse prioritize?✔✔ A. Notify the provider for possible appendicitis
- Provide a heating pad for pain relief
- Encourage fluid intake
- Administer antacids
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During a routine assessment, a client reports bloating, frequent belching, and intermittent left upper quadrant pain. Which question should the nurse ask next?
- “Do you have a history of urinary infections?”
- “Have you had any recent surgeries?”
- “Are your stools dark or black?”
✔✔ B. “Do you notice the pain worsens after eating?”
A client comes to the clinic with complaints of abdominal fullness, shortness of breath when lying flat, and visible abdominal distension. On assessment, there is dullness to percussion in the flanks. What is the nurse’s next step?
- Encourage fluid restriction
- Administer antacids
- Perform deep palpation
✔✔ C. Measure abdominal girth and notify provider
A postoperative client has not passed flatus for 3 days and reports increasing abdominal discomfort. The abdomen is distended and tympanic on percussion. What is the priority intervention?✔✔ A. Assess bowel sounds and notify the provider 2 / 3
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- Offer sips of warm broth
- Assist the client to ambulate
- Administer a stool softener
A client reports dark, tarry stools and fatigue. Upon abdominal assessment, the nurse notes mild tenderness in the epigastric area. What is the nurse’s best response?
- “You probably have indigestion.”
- “This is likely from constipation.”
- “This is a normal reaction to stress.”
✔✔ B. “You may be experiencing a gastrointestinal bleed.”
A nurse palpates a firm, non-pulsating mass in the lower left quadrant of a client’s abdomen. The client also reports recent constipation and fever. Which condition should the nurse consider?
- Hepatitis
- Crohn’s disease
- Gastric ulcer
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✔✔ B. Diverticulitis