When auscultating over a patient's carotid arteries, the nurse notices the presence of a bruit on the left side.
The nurse knows that bruits:

Choice A rationale

Inspection is the systematic observation of the patient using the senses of sight, smell, and hearing. It is always the first technique used in a physical assessment because it provides a foundational understanding of the patient's general appearance, symmetry, posture, skin condition, and any visible abnormalities before physical contact is made.

Choice B rationale

Auscultation involves listening to sounds produced by the body, such as heart sounds, lung sounds, and bowel sounds, using a stethoscope. While crucial for assessing various body systems, it typically follows inspection and palpation to avoid altering natural body sounds.

Choice C rationale

Percussion involves tapping on body surfaces to elicit sounds that indicate the density of underlying tissues and organs. This technique helps in assessing organ size, shape, and consistency, but it is performed after inspection and palpation, as it involves direct contact and manipulation.

Choice D rationale

Palpation involves using the sense of touch to assess characteristics such as texture, temperature, moisture, organ size and location, and tenderness. While a vital component of the physical assessment, it follows inspection to avoid introducing discomfort or altering initial observations.

Choice A rationale

The knee joint, a modified hinge joint, primarily facilitates movement within the sagittal plane. Flexion involves decreasing the angle between the femur and tibia, bending the knee, while extension involves increasing this angle, straightening the knee. These movements are achieved through the coordinated action of muscles like the quadriceps femoris and hamstrings, acting on the condyles of the femur and tibia.

Choice B rationale

Inversion and eversion are movements specific to the ankle and foot. Inversion involves turning the sole of the foot inward, towards the midline of the body, while eversion involves turning the sole of the foot outward, away from the midline. These movements are mediated by the subtalar and transverse tarsal joints, not the knee.

Choice C rationale

Supination and pronation are rotatory movements primarily associated with the forearm and hand. Supination involves rotating the forearm so the palm faces anteriorly or superiorly, while pronation involves rotating it so the palm faces posteriorly or inferiorly. These actions are controlled by muscles acting on the radius and ulna, not the knee joint.

Choice D rationale

Circumduction is a complex movement combining flexion, extension, abduction, and adduction, commonly seen in ball-and-socket joints like the shoulder or hip. Rotation, where a bone pivots around its own longitudinal axis, is also more prominent in these joints. While the knee has minimal rotational capability when flexed, it's not a primary movement.