A nurse is assessing the skin of a client who has worked outdoors for the past 20 years. Which of the following findings is the nurse's priority?

Choice A reason:
Palpation can help assess for tenderness, rigidity, or masses in the abdomen, which might indicate infection, bleeding, or other complications. However, palpation could potentially worsen a condition such as an evisceration or dehiscence, or cause additional pain. Therefore, palpation should be done only after the visual inspection and with great caution in the presence of severe pain.
Choice B reason:
Percussion is useful for assessing the presence of gas, fluid, or solid masses in the abdomen. Resonance might indicate normal air-filled intestines, while dullness could suggest fluid or mass. However, percussion is not the first action in an acute setting of sudden severe pain because it does not provide immediate information that could be life-saving. It is a later step in the physical examination.
Choice C reason:
Visual inspection is the first step because it can quickly reveal critical signs such as swelling, distention, redness, or evidence of wound complications like dehiscence or evisceration. Identifying these signs early allows for rapid intervention, which could be life-saving. This is why exposing and inspecting the abdomen is the priority in the context of sudden severe pain following surgery.
Choice D reason:
Listening for bowel sounds can provide information about the function of the gastrointestinal system. Absence of bowel sounds might suggest a paralytic ileus, while hyperactive sounds could indicate a bowel obstruction. However, in the context of sudden, severe abdominal pain postoperatively, auscultation is not the first priority.

Choice A reason:
Protective precautions are not necessary because they (also known as reverse isolation) are used for immunocompromised clients to protect them from potential pathogens carried by healthcare workers or visitors.
Choice B reason:
Droplet precautions are not necessary because they are used for infections spread through larger respiratory droplets, like influenza or pertussis.
Choice C reason:
Airborne precautions should be implemented by the nurse. Tuberculosis (TB) is primarily transmitted through the airborne route, as the bacteria that cause TB can be suspended in the air as tiny particles (droplet nuclei) when an infected person coughs, sneezes, speaks, or sings. These particles can be inhaled by others, leading to the potential transmission of the disease.
Choice D reason:
Contact precautions are not necessary because they are used for infections that are transmitted through direct contact with the client or contaminated surfaces, such as MRSA (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) or C. difficile.