Nokea
While percussing over the liver of a patient, the nurse notices a dull sound. What should the nurse do?
- A. Consider this a normal finding
- B. Palpate this area for an underlying mass
- C. Reposition the hands and attempt to percuss in this area again
- D. Consider this finding as abnormal and refer the patient for additional treatment
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: When percussing over relatively dense organs, such as the liver or spleen, a dull sound is a normal finding due to the organ's density. This occurs because the sound waves produced by tapping on the organ travel through the dense tissue, resulting in a dull sound. Therefore, the correct action for the nurse in this scenario is to consider a dull sound over the liver as a normal finding. Palpating for an underlying mass (Choice B) is not indicated based on the percussion finding alone. Repositioning the hands and repeating the percussion (Choice C) may not change the dull sound over the liver. Referring the patient for additional treatment (Choice D) without understanding the normal percussion findings over the liver would be premature. Thus, the most appropriate action is to interpret the dull sound as a normal finding.
You may also like to solve these questions
The nurse is reviewing percussion techniques with a new graduate nurse. Which action performed by the graduate nurse while percussing requires the nurse to intervene?
- A. Percussing twice over each area
- B. Striking with the fingertip, not the finger pad
- C. Using the wrist to make the strikes, not the arm
- D. Quickly lifting the striking finger after each stroke
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is to percuss twice over each area, not once. This technique helps ensure a more accurate assessment. Striking with the fingertip instead of the finger pad is correct because the tip of the finger produces clearer sounds. Using the wrist to make the strikes instead of the arm is appropriate as it allows for more controlled and precise percussion. Quickly lifting the striking finger after each stroke is also correct to prevent damping off vibrations. Therefore, percussing once over each area (Choice A) is incorrect as it does not follow the standard percussion technique.
After change-of-shift report, which patient should the nurse assess first?
- A. 72-year-old with cor pulmonale who has 4+ bilateral edema in his legs and feet
- B. 28-year-old with a history of a lung transplant and a temperature of 101 F (38.3 C)
- C. 40-year-old with a pleural effusion who is complaining of severe stabbing chest pain
- D. 64-year-old with lung cancer and tracheal deviation after subclavian catheter insertion
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The patient with lung cancer and tracheal deviation after a subclavian catheter insertion should be assessed first. Tracheal deviation can indicate tension pneumothorax, a life-threatening condition that requires immediate intervention to prevent inadequate cardiac output or hypoxemia. While the other patients also need assessment, the potential for tension pneumothorax in the patient with tracheal deviation necessitates urgent attention to prevent complications.
During an office visit, the healthcare provider is assessing a patient's skin. What part of the hand and technique would be used to best assess the patient's skin temperature?
- A. Fingertips
- B. Dorsal surface of the hand
- C. Ulnar portion of the hand
- D. Palmar surface of the hand
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is the dorsal surface of the hand. The dorsa (backs) of the hands and fingers are best for determining temperature because the skin is thinner on the dorsal surfaces than on the palms. Fingertips are best for fine, tactile discrimination and not for assessing skin temperature. The ulnar and palmar surfaces of the hands are not as effective for assessing skin temperature as the dorsal surface because they have thicker skin layers.
A woman who has lived in the United States for a year after moving from Europe has learned to speak English and is almost finished with her college studies. She now dresses like her peers and says that her family in Europe would hardly recognize her. This situation illustrates which concept?
- A. Integration
- B. Assimilation
- C. Biculturalism
- D. Heritage consistency
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Assimilation is a unidirectional, linear process moving from unacculturated to acculturated, in which a person develops a new cultural identity and becomes like members of the dominant culture. In this scenario, the woman has adapted to the new culture by learning the language, dressing like her peers, and expressing that her family in Europe would hardly recognize her. This aligns with the process of assimilation. Integration and biculturalism, on the other hand, involve bidirectional and bidimensional processes that induce reciprocal change in both cultures while maintaining aspects of the original culture in one's ethnic identity. Since there is no indication in the question that the woman has retained aspects of her original culture, integration and biculturalism are not the correct concepts. Heritage consistency refers to the degree to which one retains their original or traditional culture, which is not addressed in the scenario provided.
The nurse is unable to palpate the right radial pulse on a patient. What would the nurse do next?
- A. Auscultate over the area with a fetoscope.
- B. Use a goniometer to measure the pulsations.
- C. Use a Doppler device to check for pulsations over the area.
- D. Check for the presence of pulsations with a stethoscope.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: When a nurse is unable to palpate a radial pulse, the next step is to use a Doppler device to check for pulsations over the area. Doppler devices are specifically designed to augment pulse or blood pressure measurements. Auscultating with a fetoscope is used to listen to fetal heart tones and is not relevant in this scenario. Goniometers are used to measure joint range of motion and are not used to assess pulses. Stethoscopes are primarily used to auscultate breath, bowel, and heart sounds, not to check for pulsations in peripheral pulses. Therefore, the correct course of action when unable to palpate a pulse is to utilize a Doppler device to assess for pulsations in the radial pulse area.