Exam 8: Assessment Techniques and Safety in the Clinical Setting

The nurse is preparing to palpate the thorax and abdomen of a patient.Which of these statements describes the correct technique for this procedure? Select all that apply.

The nurse is unable to identify any changes in sound when percussing over the abdomen of an obese patient.What should the nurse do next?

Which of these techniques uses the sense of touch to assess texture,temperature,moisture,and swelling when the nurse is assessing a patient?

The nurse is teaching a class on basic assessment skills.Which of these statements is true regarding the stethoscope and its use?

The nurse will use which technique of assessment to determine the presence of crepitus,swelling,and pulsations?

When performing a physical examination,safety must be considered to protect the examiner and the patient against the spread of infection.Which of these statements describes the most appropriate action the nurse should take when performing a physical examination?

Before auscultating the abdomen for the presence of bowel sounds on a patient,the nurse should:

During auscultation of a patient's heart sounds,the nurse hears an unfamiliar sound.The nurse should:

The nurse is preparing to percuss the abdomen of a patient.The purpose of the percussion is to assess the __________ of the underlying tissue.

While auscultating heart sounds,the nurse hears a murmur.Which of these instruments should be used to assess this murmur?

A 6-month-old infant has been brought to the well-child clinic for a check-up.She is currently sleeping.What should the nurse do first when beginning the examination?

The nurse hears bilateral loud,long,and low tones when percussing over the lungs of a 4-year-old child.The nurse should:

The nurse is preparing to assess a hospitalized patient who is experiencing significant shortness of breath.How should the nurse proceed with the assessment?

The nurse is preparing to use an otoscope for an examination.Which statement is true regarding the otoscope? The otoscope:

During the examination,offering some brief teaching about the patient's body or the examiner's findings is often appropriate.Which one of these statements by the nurse is most appropriate?

When performing a physical assessment,the first technique the nurse will always use is:

An examiner is using an ophthalmoscope to examine a patient's eyes.The patient has astigmatism and is nearsighted.The use of which of these techniques would indicate that the examination is being correctly performed?

The nurse is preparing to use a stethoscope for auscultation.Which statement is true regarding the diaphragm of the stethoscope? The diaphragm:

With which of these patients would it be most appropriate for the nurse to use games during the assessment,such as having the patient "blow out" the light on the penlight?

The most important step that the nurse can take to prevent the transmission of microorganisms in the hospital setting is to: