During lung auscultation, the nurse hears a continuous low-pitched sound that resembles snoring. What is this sound called?

Choice A reason: Palpating tender areas first may cause patient discomfort and guarding, reducing assessment accuracy. Palpation uses the palmar side or finger pads, starting with non-tender areas. Assuming this risks poor technique, potentially missing subtle findings like masses or edema, critical for comprehensive physical assessment in clinical practice.

Choice B reason: Palpation uses the palmar side of the hands or finger pads for light or deep touch to assess texture, tenderness, or masses. This technique ensures sensitivity and accuracy, detecting abnormalities like organ enlargement or fluid accumulation. Proper palpation is essential for thorough physical exams, guiding diagnosis and care planning effectively.

Choice C reason: Short, quick taps define percussion, not palpation, which involves sustained touch to assess underlying structures. Confusing these techniques risks incorrect assessment, missing findings like organ size or tenderness. Palpation’s distinct method using finger pads ensures accurate detection, critical for identifying abnormalities in physical examinations.

Choice D reason: Using a stethoscope is for auscultation, not palpation, which relies on manual touch with finger pads or palms. Assuming stethoscope use misaligns with palpation’s purpose, risking incomplete assessment of tactile findings like masses or swelling, essential for accurate diagnosis and effective patient care planning.

Choice A reason: Providing a blueprint for patient-centered care describes the nursing process (assessment, diagnosis, planning, implementation, evaluation), guiding systematic care delivery. This is integral, unlike prescribing medications, a physician’s role. Assuming this is not part risks misunderstanding the process, critical for structured, effective nursing care in complex patient scenarios.

Choice B reason: Holistic care enhancing outcomes is central to the nursing process, addressing physical, emotional, and social needs through its steps. This contrasts with prescribing, which is medical. Assuming this is not part misaligns with the process’s purpose, risking fragmented care and reduced effectiveness in patient-centered nursing practice.

Choice C reason: A problem-solving approach for complex clients defines the nursing process, using data to address multifaceted needs systematically. Unlike prescribing, it’s a nursing responsibility. Assuming this is not part undermines the process’s role, risking ineffective care planning and interventions critical for managing complex patient conditions in clinical settings.

Choice D reason: Developing medication prescriptions is a physician’s role, not part of the nursing process, which focuses on assessment, diagnosis, planning, implementation, and evaluation. Nurses administer or educate about medications but don’t prescribe. This distinction ensures role clarity, preventing scope-of-practice errors and supporting collaborative, patient-centered care in healthcare settings.