Home › OMSB exam › Gastrointestinal & Hepatic Nursing
OMSB Gastrointestinal & Hepatic Nursing Practice Questions
GI questions cover bleeding, obstruction, liver disease and nutrition, with a strong focus on spotting complications early. Below are 5 free sample questions for the OMSB nursing exam, each with the answer and a rationale.
What this topic covers
- GI bleeding signs
- Bowel obstruction and appendicitis
- Cirrhosis, ascites and hepatic encephalopathy
- Hepatitis transmission and prevention
- Pancreatitis and cholecystitis
- Stoma care and nutrition
The full bank has 70 gastrointestinal & hepatic nursing questions, part of 1,500 questions across 16 nursing topics.
Free OMSB gastrointestinal & hepatic nursing questions
1. Which feature distinguishes ulcerative colitis from Crohn's disease?
- A. Ulcerative colitis can affect any part of the GI tract from mouth to anus
- B. Ulcerative colitis causes skip lesions with areas of normal bowel
- C. Ulcerative colitis affects the colon and rectum in a continuous pattern
- D. Ulcerative colitis involves the full thickness of the bowel wall
Show answer and rationale
Ulcerative colitis affects the mucosa of the colon and rectum continuously, starting at the rectum. Crohn's disease can affect any part of the GI tract, with transmural inflammation and skip lesions.
Reference: Lewis Medical-Surgical Nursing – inflammatory bowel disease
2. How is hepatitis A mainly transmitted?
- A. Blood transfusion
- B. Faecal–oral route through contaminated food or water
- C. Sexual contact only
- D. Airborne droplets
Show answer and rationale
Hepatitis A spreads by the faecal–oral route; hand hygiene, safe food and water, and vaccination prevent it. Hepatitis B and C are bloodborne.
Reference: WHO – Hepatitis A
3. Which dietary change is usually recommended for a patient with cirrhosis and ascites?
- A. High sodium intake
- B. Unlimited fluid intake
- C. Sodium restriction
- D. Complete protein restriction
Show answer and rationale
Dietary sodium restriction reduces fluid retention and ascites. Adequate protein is usually recommended to prevent malnutrition; severe protein restriction is no longer routine even in hepatic encephalopathy.
Reference: Lewis Medical-Surgical Nursing – cirrhosis
4. A patient with ulcerative colitis is having a severe flare. Which finding is most typical?
- A. Hard, pellet-like stools
- B. Clay-coloured stools
- C. Constipation with no abdominal pain
- D. Frequent bloody diarrhoea with mucus and urgency
Show answer and rationale
Ulcerative colitis flares typically cause frequent bloody diarrhoea with mucus, urgency and cramping. Patients should be monitored for dehydration, anaemia and electrolyte imbalance.
Reference: Lewis Medical-Surgical Nursing – inflammatory bowel disease
5. A patient has had profuse watery diarrhoea for three days. Which assessment finding is most important to report?
- A. Mild abdominal cramping
- B. Dry mouth, dizziness on standing and reduced urine output
- C. Hyperactive bowel sounds
- D. A slightly reduced appetite
Show answer and rationale
Dry mouth, postural dizziness and oliguria indicate significant dehydration needing fluid replacement. Cramping, hyperactive bowel sounds and poor appetite are expected with diarrhoea.
Reference: Potter & Perry – bowel elimination
Study tip
Signs of shock in a GI patient (rising heart rate, falling blood pressure) point to bleeding and need escalation.
Practise the full OMSB bank
Unlock all 1,500 questions, practice by topic, and unlimited timed 70-question mock tests in the OMSB format (120 minutes, 60% practice pass mark). One-time $19.
More OMSB practice topics
OMSB exam guide: format, booking and study plan →