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Multiple Choice
The nurse is performing auscultation on a patient. What is the nurse assessing?
A
Reflexes
B
Heart sounds
C
Skin elasticity
D
Blood pressure
Verified step by step guidance
1
Understand the term 'auscultation': Auscultation is a clinical skill used by healthcare professionals to listen to the internal sounds of the body, typically using a stethoscope.
Identify the primary areas of auscultation: The most common areas for auscultation are the heart, lungs, and abdomen.
Focus on heart sounds: When auscultating the heart, the nurse listens for heart sounds, which include the 'lub-dub' sounds associated with the closing of heart valves.
Differentiate from other assessments: Reflexes are assessed through physical tests like tapping tendons, skin elasticity is checked by pinching the skin, and blood pressure is measured using a sphygmomanometer, not auscultation.
Conclude the purpose of auscultation: The nurse is assessing heart sounds to evaluate the function and health of the heart, checking for normal or abnormal sounds that may indicate various cardiac conditions.