Patient Data

Exhibits

Nurse analyzes the findings.

Which can the nurse do to mitigate artifacts when performing auscultation? Select all that apply.

A. Documenting the roaring and crackles is important to note any abnormal findings. However, this does not directly mitigate artifacts, which may interfere with the accuracy of the sounds heard through auscultation.
B. Wetting the chest hair is a useful technique to reduce the sound interference caused by chest hair rubbing against the stethoscope. This helps eliminate some of the unwanted sounds and improves the clarity of auscultation.
C. Ensuring the room is warm and the stethoscope is warmed before use is important because cold stethoscopes can cause discomfort to the client and may lead to muscle tensing, making it harder to hear clear heart and lung sounds.
D. Reaching under the gown ensures that no clothing creates friction on the stethoscope, which can produce unwanted sounds during auscultation. This helps in obtaining clear and accurate heart or lung sounds.
E. A quiet environment is crucial for auscultation, as background noise can obscure important sounds. Ensuring that the room is free from distractions and noise will significantly improve the quality of auscultation.

A. Palpating the radial pulses might not detect irregularities in pulse rate or rhythm as effectively as auscultation at the apical site.
B. Listening over the carotid artery may be useful in certain situations but is not the preferred method for assessing overall pulse rate.
C. Feeling the dorsalis pedis and posterior tibialis pulses provides information about peripheral circulation but does not assess the overall heart rate.
D. Auscultating the apical pulse is the most accurate method to assess the pulse rate, especially in clients with cardiovascular disease, as it provides direct measurement of heart activity.