The nurse is assessing a patient's heart and believes a pericardial friction rub is present, but it is very faint. Which technique might help the nurse hear this sound more clearly?
1. Have the patient turn the head to the right.
2. Have the patient hold the breath while the nurse is listening.
3. Press the stethoscope tighter against the patient's skin.
4. Have the patient lean on the overbed table.
4
Rationale 1: Turning the patient's head to the side will not make this sound easier to hear.
Rationale 2: Having the patient hold the breath will help differentiate this sound from a pericardial rub but will not make the sound easier to hear.
Rationale 3: Pressing the stethoscope harder against the skin will be uncomfortable for the patient and will not make the sound any louder or easier to hear.
Rationale 4: Having the patient lean forward may help the nurse hear a pericardial rub more clearly, as the heart will be closer to the chest wall.
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