Health Promotion and Maintenance NCLEX PN Questions Related

Review Health Promotion and Maintenance NCLEX PN Questions related questions and content

A nurse is preparing to auscultate for the presence of bowel sounds in a client who has just undergone surgery. The nurse places the stethoscope in which abdominal quadrant first?

  • A. Left upper quadrant
  • B. Left lower quadrant
  • C. Right upper quadrant
  • D. Right lower quadrant
Correct Answer: D

Rationale: The correct answer is the right lower quadrant. The nurse starts auscultating in this quadrant at the ileocecal valve as bowel sounds are normally always present there. Then, the nurse proceeds to listen for bowel sounds in the other quadrants. Choices A, B, and C are incorrect as the initial placement of the stethoscope should be in the right lower quadrant to assess bowel sounds post-surgery.