The nurse is listening to the heart sounds of a client. The nurse recognizes that the S2:

A. Have the client breathe quickly:

This choice is incorrect because having the client breathe quickly is not a technique for assessing tactile fremitus. Tactile fremitus is assessed by feeling vibrations on the chest wall while the patient speaks, not during normal breathing.

B. Palpate the chest symmetrically:

This choice is correct. To assess tactile fremitus, the nurse places the palms or ulnar aspects of both hands firmly against the patient's chest while the patient speaks a phrase. The nurse should palpate the chest symmetrically to detect vibrations equally on both sides, which can help identify abnormalities in the lungs.

C. Ask the client to cough:

This choice is incorrect. Asking the client to cough is not a technique for assessing tactile fremitus. Tactile fremitus is evaluated by feeling vibrations while the patient speaks, not while coughing.

D. Use the bell of the stethoscope:

This choice is incorrect. Tactile fremitus is assessed by palpation, not auscultation with a stethoscope. Using the bell of the stethoscope is a technique for listening to low-pitched sounds, not for assessing tactile fremitus.

A. Maxillary sinusitis:

Explanation: The client's symptoms of facial pain, fever, malaise, swollen turbinates, purulent nasal discharge, and dull, throbbing pain in the cheeks and teeth on the right side, especially when palpated, are indicative of maxillary sinusitis. Maxillary sinusitis refers to the inflammation of the maxillary sinuses, which are located in the cheek area. The symptoms described align with a bacterial infection in this sinus.

B. Nasal polyps:

Explanation: Nasal polyps are soft, noncancerous growths on the lining of the nasal passages or sinuses. While they can cause nasal congestion and a runny nose, they do not typically present with the specific symptoms mentioned in the scenario, such as facial pain, fever, and purulent discharge.

C. Frontal sinusitis:

Explanation: Frontal sinusitis involves inflammation of the frontal sinuses located in the forehead area. Symptoms may include forehead pain, headache, and nasal discharge. However, the described symptoms in the scenario (dull, throbbing pain in the cheeks and teeth on the right side) are more characteristic of maxillary sinusitis.

D. Posterior epistaxis:

Explanation: Posterior epistaxis refers to a nosebleed that originates from the back of the nose, often due to bleeding from the sphenopalatine artery. While nosebleeds can cause blood drainage into the throat and result in a metallic taste, the other symptoms described in the scenario, such as facial pain, fever, and purulent discharge, are not indicative of posterior epistaxis.