GI Exam Questions with Verified
Answers
What is an endoscopy? - Answer-Direct visualization of the esophagus, stomach, and
duodenum through a lighted endoscope
What can an endoscopy detect? - Answer-Mucosal inflammations (GERD, gastritis),
tumors, varices, hiatal hernias, polyps, ulcers, and obstruction
What can be done during an endoscope to help diagnose and treat GI issues? -
Answer-Can biopsy samples of tissue, inject sclerosis agents or cauterize, and laser
surgery
What is another name for an endoscopy? - Answer-EGD
How long should a patient be NPO prior to an endoscopy? - Answer-At least 8 hours
Do you need informed consent from a patient who is getting an upper GI endoscopy? -
Answer-Yes
How long should NSAIDs and aspirin be discontinued prior to an endoscopy? - Answer-
5 days
If a patient who is going to have an endoscopy is on Coumadin, what should you do for
them? - Answer-Draw PT and INR labs
How long should a patient be NPO after an endoscopy? - Answer-Until alert and
swallowing/gag reflex have returned, usually 2-4 hours later
What should you be assessing in a patient who has just had an endoscopy? - Answer-
Vital signs, airway, bleeding, chest pain
What are some complications of an endoscopy? - Answer-Over sedation, bleeding,
perforation, aspiration
What are some stool tests that are done? - Answer-Guaiac occult blood, fat, clostridium
difficile toxin, cultures for bacteria, virus, or parasites
What is a guaiac test? - Answer-A test to decect fecal occult blood assess for hidden
blood in stool
What is the stool antigen test? - Answer-A test that checks to see if substances that
trigger the immune system to fight an H pylori infection are present in the feces
,What is a clostridial toxin assay (cdiff) - Answer-A test indicated for patients with
diarrhea who have been taking antibiotics for more than five days, and
immunosuppressed patients with diarrhea what tests for cdiff in the stool
What is a barium swallow used for? - Answer-To examine the upper digestive tract such
as the esophagus, stomach, and duodenum
What is a barium swallow - Answer-Contrast medium is ingested and xrays are taken to
view progression of contrast while the patient is in different positions
What can a barium swallow help diagnose? - Answer-Cancers, ulcers, and problems
that cause narrowing of the esophagus such as GERD, varices, obstruction, swallowing
issues, and hiatal hernia
How long should a patient be NPO prior to a barium swallow - Answer-At least 8 hours
What medications should be held prior to a barium swallow - Answer-Anticholinergic
and opioid medications
What medications can be given prior to a barium swallow - Answer-Laxatives
What should you educate the patient who just had a barium swallow about their stool? -
Answer-The stool might be light colored or white for several days due to the barium
Why should a patient who has just had a barium swallow increase their fluid intake for
several days after the procedure? - Answer-Barium can cause constipation, and it
needs to be excreted
What medication might be ordered to give after a barium swallow - Answer-Milk of
magnesia, because magnesium based antacids/laxatives cause diarrhea, helping with
possible constipation
Why should you monitor elimination after a barium swallow? - Answer-Constipation can
occur with barium, and diarrhea can occur with gastrografin
What is a small bowel follow through? - Answer-More barium is ingested following upper
GI and barium is tracked with X-rays taken every 15 minutes until barium reaches the
colon
What are the contrast mediums that are often used with barium swallow? - Answer-
Barium sulfate or gastrografin
What are the main components of gathering a full history of a patient with a GI disorder?
- Answer-Chief complaint, presence and characteristics of pain, pattern of bowel
elimination, stool color
, What might chief complaints be in the history portion of a physical that would hint
towards a GI disorder? - Answer-Difficulty eating or ingesting food, nausea, vomiting,
weight loss, pain, diarrhea, constipation, dysphagia, and heartburn
What should you determine about a patients pain in the history portion of a physical that
would hint towards a GI disorder? - Answer-What causes it, location, duration,
relationship to specific foods or alcohol, what has resolved it in the past
What should you determine about patterns in bowel elimination in the history portion of
a physical that would hint towards a GI disorder? - Answer-Changes in amount, color,
consistency, and frequency of stools
What can white stools indicate? - Answer-Barium
What can red stools indicate? - Answer-Lower GI bleed, beets
What can black stools indicate - Answer-Upper GI bleed, iron
What can gray, tan, or clay colored stools indicate? - Answer-A lack of bile
What other things are important to discuss with patients when gathering their history
with GI disorders? - Answer-Previous GI disorders, medications, smoking history, travel
history, family history, nutritional history, allergies, and previous surgery (especially
abdominal)
What medications can cause GI issues? - Answer-Antibiotics, pain meds, OTC meds
Why is travel history important when obtaining a history or GI disorders? - Answer-
Could be connected to an individual with acute diarrhea as a result of an infection or
exposure
What should you be paying attention to when examining the mouth? - Answer-Condition
of teeth, dentures, inspect lips, teeth, gums for bleeding, ulcers, tongue coating, breath
odors
What should you be paying attention to when examining the abdomen? - Answer-Any
bulges or masses, ascites or distention, pulsations, scars, rebound tenderness with
palpation
When listening to bowel sounds, what should you do if a patient has an NG tube? -
Answer-Turn suction off
When should auscultation of bowel sounds be done? - Answer-Prior to percussion and
palpation since bowel manipulation can affect the bowel sounds
