Nokea
The healthcare professional is preparing to percuss the abdomen of a patient. What characteristic of the underlying tissue does percussion assess?
- A. Turgor
- B. Texture
- C. Density
- D. Consistency
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Percussion is a technique used to assess the density of underlying organs by producing sounds that help determine their location and size. Turgor, texture, and consistency are primarily assessed through palpation, not percussion. Turgor refers to skin elasticity, texture pertains to the feel of the tissue surface, and consistency relates to the firmness or resistance of the tissue.
You may also like to solve these questions
During an examination, a nurse notices a draining ulceration on a patient's lower leg. What is the most appropriate action in this situation?
- A. Wash hands and then contact the physician.
- B. Continue to examine the ulceration and then wash hands.
- C. Wash hands, put on gloves, and continue with the examination of the ulceration.
- D. Wash hands, proceed with the rest of the physical examination, and perform the examination of the leg ulceration last.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: In this scenario, the most appropriate action is to wash hands, put on gloves, and then continue examining the ulceration. Wearing gloves is crucial when there is a possibility of contact with body fluids, as in the case of a draining ulceration. Contacting the physician is not necessary at this point; the immediate focus should be on proper infection control by washing hands and wearing gloves. Changing the order of the examination is not recommended as it is important to follow a systematic approach to avoid missing any crucial assessments.
When examining an older adult, which technique should the nurse use?
- A. Minimize touching the patient as much as possible.
- B. Attempt to perform the entire physical examination during one visit.
- C. Speak loudly and slowly due to potential hearing deficits in aging adults.
- D. Arrange the sequence of the examination to allow as few position changes as possible.
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: When examining an older adult, it is crucial to arrange the sequence of the examination to minimize position changes. This helps prevent discomfort and fatigue for the older adult, who may have mobility issues. Option A is incorrect because physical touch is essential when examining older adults, as their other senses may be diminished. Option B is incorrect as it is better to break the examination into multiple visits to ensure thoroughness and comfort. Option C is incorrect because while some older adults may have hearing deficits, it is not appropriate to assume this for all individuals without proper assessment.
An examiner is using an ophthalmoscope to examine a patient's eyes. The patient has astigmatism and is nearsighted. Which of these techniques by the examiner would indicate that the examination is being correctly performed?
- A. Rotating the lens selector dial to bring the object into focus
- B. Using the large full circle of light when assessing pupils that are not dilated
- C. Rotating the lens selector dial to the black numbers to compensate for astigmatism
- D. Using the grid on the lens aperture dial to visualize the external structures of the eye
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: To correctly perform an eye examination using an ophthalmoscope on a patient with astigmatism and nearsightedness, the examiner should rotate the lens selector dial to bring the object into focus. This adjustment helps compensate for nearsightedness or farsightedness but does not correct astigmatism. Rotating the lens selector dial to the black numbers is not an appropriate technique for compensating for astigmatism. Using the grid on the lens aperture dial is primarily for visualizing external structures of the eye, not for addressing refractive errors. The large full circle of light is typically used when assessing dilated pupils, not for examining patients with astigmatism and nearsightedness. Therefore, the correct technique is rotating the lens selector dial to bring the object into focus.
A 51-year-old woman had an incisional cholecystectomy 6 hours ago. The nurse will place the highest priority on assisting the patient to
- A. choose low-fat foods from the menu
- B. perform leg exercises hourly while awake
- C. ambulate the evening of the operative day
- D. turn, cough, and deep breathe every 2 hours
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Postoperative nursing care after a cholecystectomy focuses on preventing respiratory complications due to the surgical incision being high in the abdomen, which impairs coughing and deep breathing. Turning, coughing, and deep breathing every 2 hours help prevent respiratory complications, such as pneumonia. While choices A, B, and C are also important aspects of postoperative care, they are not as high a priority as ensuring proper ventilation and respiratory function in the immediate postoperative period.
When percussing over the abdomen of an obese patient, the nurse is unable to identify any changes in sound. What would the nurse do next?
- A. Ask the patient to take deep breaths to relax the abdominal musculature.
- B. Consider this finding as normal and proceed with the abdominal assessment.
- C. Increase the amount of strength used when attempting to percuss over the abdomen.
- D. Decrease the amount of strength used when attempting to percuss over the abdomen.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: When percussing an obese patient's abdomen, the thickness of their body wall can affect the sound produced. A stronger percussion stroke is needed for obese or very muscular patients. The force of the blow determines the loudness of the note. Asking the patient to take deep breaths, considering the finding as normal, or decreasing the strength used are not appropriate actions in this scenario.