Practice Question
A client is in the clinic and is reporting lower abdominal pain and constipation. Which information is of greatest concern to the nurse when obtaining the health history from this client?
Answer Choices:
Correct Answer:
Family history of colon cancer on mother's side.
Rationale:
🔹Lower abdominal pain with constipation raises concern for colonic pathology, and a first-degree family history of colon cancer significantly elevates risk.
🔹Hereditary patterns (e.g., Lynch syndrome) and early-onset family cases warrant earlier evaluation and colorectal screening.
🔹Red-flag symptoms with altered bowel habits plus a positive family history necessitate prompt diagnostic work-up (e.g., colonoscopy).
🔹Early identification is critical because colorectal cancer often presents insidiously with constipation, occult bleeding, weight loss, or iron-deficiency anemia.
🔹Prioritizing this history element directs the nurse to escalate care and coordinate timely referral.
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This question is from HESI RN HEALTH ASSESSMENT WGU EXAM 2 which contains 58 questions.
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Question Details
- Category: RN Nursing Exam(s)
- Subcategory: HESI Exam(s)
- Domain: 🏡HESI-Health Assessment
- Answer Choices: 4