A triage nurse is evaluating a 76-year-old client presenting from an assisted living facility with a rigid, distended abdomen and a sudden, acute change in mental status. When implementing the physical assessment for this client, which action by the nurse is correct?
- The nurse inspects the abdominal skin characteristics, auscultates all four quadrants using the diaphragm of the stethoscope, and then performs light palpation.Cevap
- BThe nurse visually assesses the abdominal contour, percusses the suprapubic area for bladder distention, and subsequently auscultates for bowel activity.
- CThe nurse delegates the initial visual inspection of the client's abdomen to the unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP) while preparing intravenous access.
- DThe nurse attributes the sudden mental status change to expected age-related cognitive decline and proceeds directly to deep abdominal palpation.
Cevap
The correct action is to inspect the abdomen first, then auscultate all four quadrants with the diaphragm of the stethoscope, followed by palpation.
The proper sequence for an abdominal assessment is inspection, auscultation, percussion, and palpation. Auscultating immediately after inspection is critical because manual manipulation of the abdominal wall can stimulate peristalsis, artificially altering the frequency and character of bowel sounds. Additionally, the diaphragm of the stethoscope is the correct instrument for detecting the high-pitched sounds characteristic of gastrointestinal activity.
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Abdominal Physical Assessment Sequence and Geriatric Considerations
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