2024 PN NCLEX Questions Nursing Practice Question

Assisting with data collection, a nurse notes tenderness while lightly palpating a client's right lower quadrant of the abdomen. The nurse determines that this finding is most likely associated with which anatomic structure?

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Correct Answer: D

Rationale: Tenderness in the right lower quadrant of the abdomen is primarily associated with the appendix, as this structure is located in that region. Inflammation or irritation of the appendix, known as appendicitis, typically presents with pain and tenderness here.

A: The liver is located in the upper right quadrant, making it an unlikely source of tenderness in the lower quadrant.
B: The spleen is situated in the upper left quadrant and does not correlate with right lower quadrant tenderness.
C: The pancreas is located behind the stomach and does not typically cause localized tenderness in the lower abdomen.