The nurse is teaching the student nurse the sequence for performing the assessment techniques during a physical examination. What is the appropriate order?

A. Inspection, percussion, palpation, auscultation: This sequence starts with visual inspection, followed by percussion (tapping the body to assess underlying structures), palpation (using the hands to feel for abnormalities), and finally auscultation (listening with a stethoscope to assess sounds such as heart, lung, or bowel sounds). However, palpation is usually performed before percussion.

B. Inspection, palpation, percussion, auscultation: This is the correct sequence for performing a physical examination. It begins with visual inspection, followed by palpation to assess for

tenderness, masses, or other abnormalities, then percussion to evaluate the density of underlying structures, and finally auscultation to listen to internal sounds.

C. Palpation, percussion, inspection, auscultation: This sequence starts with palpation, followed by percussion, then inspection, and finally auscultation. However, inspection is typically performed before palpation in a physical examination.

D. Inspection, auscultation, palpation, percussion: This sequence starts with visual inspection, followed by auscultation, palpation, and percussion. While auscultation often follows inspection, palpation is usually performed before auscultation.