Examkin

Question

Difficulty: MediumTechniques of Physical Assessment

A nurse is preparing to perform a focused posterior respiratory assessment on a client admitted with suspected community-acquired pneumonia. Arrange the following assessment steps in the correct chronological order.

  1. 1Position the client in an upright sitting posture with arms folded across the chest.
  2. 2Inspect the posterior thorax for structural symmetry and the use of accessory muscles.
  3. 3Palpate the posterior chest wall systematically for tenderness and tactile fremitus.
  4. 4Percuss the bilateral lung fields starting from the apices down to the bases.
  5. 5Auscultate breath sounds side-to-side using the diaphragm of the stethoscope.

Answer

The correct sequence is to first position the client, followed by inspection, palpation, percussion, and finally auscultation.
The correct sequence for examining the respiratory system (and most other body systems excluding the abdomen) follows the standard progression of Inspection, Palpation, Percussion, and Auscultation (IPPA). Proper positioning must precede any examination to ensure accurate and accessible findings.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Position the client in an upright sitting posture with arms folded.
The scapulae are moved laterally, exposing more of the posterior lung fields.
Accurate assessment of the posterior thorax requires maximum exposure of the lung tissue.
2
Inspect the posterior thorax.
Baseline visual data regarding structural symmetry, skin condition, and respiratory effort is obtained.
Inspection is the standard first step of physical assessment for all body systems.
3
Palpate the chest wall.
Areas of tenderness, lumps, or abnormal tactile fremitus are identified.
Palpation physically verifies visual findings and assesses immediate subsurface characteristics.
4
Percuss the lung fields.
The relative density of underlying tissue is determined, noting normal resonance or abnormal dullness.
Percussion evaluates deeper tissue structures and borders before auscultating.
5
Auscultate using the stethoscope diaphragm.
Normal breath sounds and any adventitious sounds (like crackles or wheezes) are identified.
Auscultation is the final step to listen to internal air movement without having altered it through prior deep palpation or percussion.

Key Concept

The standard physical assessment sequence (Inspection, Palpation, Percussion, Auscultation) applies to the respiratory system.
Rate this question

Topics

Techniques of Physical Assessment

More questions from this topic