Title: Identify major structures and functions of the gastrointestinal system, including the oral cavity.
Course: Nurse Aide I Condensed (14051-I-A) > Section: Understanding Body Systems and Disorders

Identification should include organs and accessory organs of the digestive tract and their functions as follows:

- Mouth and teeth to perform mechanical breakdown of food
- Esophagus to convey food to the stomach
- Stomach to churn the food bolus into chyme
- Small intestine to absorb food nutrients
- Large intestine to consolidate waste
- Liver to serve as a detoxification center for medications
- Gallbladder to emulsify fats
- Pancreas to produce insulin and digestive enzymes

Refer to Unit VII in Nurse Aide Curriculum, Virginia Board of Nursing, Virginia Department of Health Professions, 2018.

Process/Skill Questions:

- Where in the gastrointestinal system are most nutrients absorbed? Why is this important?
- What are the roles of the liver in the gastrointestinal system?
- How does food progress through the digestive tract?