When performing abdominal assessment, the clinician should perform examination techniques in the following order:
A. Inspection, palpation, percussion, and auscultation
B. Inspection, percussion, palpation, and auscultation
C. Inspection, auscultation, percussion, and palpation
D. Auscultation, palpation, percussion, and inspection
ANS: C
The abdominal examination begins with inspection, followed by auscultation, percussion, and palpation. Light palpation should precede deep palpation. Auscultating before percussion or palpation allows the examiner to listen to the abdominal sounds undisturbed. Moreover, if pain is present, it is best to leave palpation until last and to gather other data before possibly causing the patient discomfort.
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