Which finding by the nurse during abdominal auscultation indicates a need for a focused abdominal assessment?

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: The correct answer is C, absent bowel sounds. Absence of bowel sounds may indicate a serious issue requiring further assessment. Normal bowel sounds include soft gurgles and clicks, so choices A, B, and D are variations of normal findings and do not necessarily indicate a need for further assessment. Absent bowel sounds could indicate bowel obstruction, peritonitis, or ischemia, warranting a focused abdominal assessment to determine the underlying cause.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B: mastication. Mastication refers to the mechanical process of chewing food in the mouth using the teeth and jaws. This process breaks down food into smaller pieces, making it easier to swallow and digest. Churning (A) is the mixing of food with digestive enzymes in the stomach. Peristalsis (C) is the involuntary muscle contractions that move food through the digestive tract. Deglutition (D) is the process of swallowing food. Mastication is the most appropriate term for the process of chewing specifically.

Correct Answer: D

Rationale: Pancreatitis is mainly the result of trypsin activity. Trypsin is an enzyme produced by the pancreas to aid in digestion. When trypsin becomes activated within the pancreas itself, it can lead to the digestion of pancreatic tissue and cause inflammation, leading to pancreatitis. Bile (A) and bacterial (B) activities are not primary causes of pancreatitis. Carboxypeptidase (C) is another pancreatic enzyme, but its activity does not play a significant role in causing pancreatitis compared to trypsin.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B: micelles. Bile salts emulsify fats in the small intestine, forming micelles that enhance the absorption of fatty acids. Chylomicrons (A) are large lipoprotein particles that transport dietary lipids, not complexes with bile salts. Globules (C) are not specifically related to bile salts and fatty acids. Lipoproteins (D) are also involved in lipid transport but are not the complexes formed by bile salts and fatty acids. Thus, choice B is the correct answer as it directly relates to the process of fat absorption facilitated by bile salts.

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: The correct answer is C: water absorption. The large intestine's main function is to absorb water and electrolytes from the indigestible food residue that enters it from the small intestine. This process helps in the formation of solid feces. Nutrient absorption primarily occurs in the small intestine (A). Bile production is done by the liver and stored in the gallbladder, not in the large intestine (B). Enzyme secretion primarily occurs in the small intestine and other digestive organs, not in the large intestine (D). Therefore, C is the correct answer as it aligns with the main function of the large intestine.