Which of the following techniques is used with palpation?
Palpate the tender areas before other areas.
Use the palmar side of the hands or the pads of the fingers.
Short, quick taps is the technique used with percussion, not palpation.
Use the stethoscope during palpation.
The Correct Answer is B
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.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is C
Explanation
Choice A reason: Measuring pulse for 15 seconds and multiplying by 4 assumes a regular rhythm, which is inaccurate for an irregular pulse. Irregular rhythms, such as atrial fibrillation, require longer measurement to capture variability in heartbeats, ensuring an accurate rate. This method risks over- or underestimating the true pulse rate.
Choice B reason: Counting for 30 seconds and multiplying by 2 is insufficient for an irregular pulse, as it may miss variations in heart rate, common in arrhythmias. Accurate assessment of irregular rhythms, like premature ventricular contractions, demands a full minute to account for fluctuations, making this method less reliable.
Choice C reason: Measuring the pulse for 60 seconds is the standard for irregular rhythms, as it captures the full range of heart rate variability. Conditions like atrial fibrillation cause inconsistent beats, and a full minute ensures accuracy in counting, aligning with clinical guidelines for assessing cardiovascular status in such cases.
Choice D reason: Counting for 45 seconds and multiplying by 2 is not a standard practice for irregular pulses. It fails to account for the full variability in heart rate, potentially skewing results in conditions like arrhythmias. A 60-second count is necessary for precision in irregular rhythm assessments.
Correct Answer is B
Explanation
Choice A reason: Dysesthesia refers to abnormal sensations, often painful, like burning or aching, due to nerve damage. While related to sensory nerve dysfunction, it does not specifically describe the pins and needles sensation, which is better characterized by paresthesia, making this term less precise for the patient’s complaint.
Choice B reason: Paresthesia describes abnormal sensations like pins and needles, typically from nerve compression or irritation, as in carpal tunnel syndrome. It accurately captures the patient’s reported left-hand sensation, aligning with clinical terminology for documenting transient or chronic sensory nerve disturbances, making it the appropriate term.
Choice C reason: Proprioception is the sense of body position, mediated by sensory receptors in muscles and joints, not related to pins and needles sensations. It involves spatial awareness, not cutaneous sensory abnormalities, so this term is irrelevant to the patient’s sensory complaint in the left hand.
Choice D reason: A sprain is a ligament injury, causing pain and swelling, not sensory disturbances like pins and needles. It is a musculoskeletal issue, unrelated to neurological symptoms of nerve irritation, making this term inappropriate for documenting the patient’s sensory nerve-related complaint.
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