A nurse is assessing a client who complains of aching abdominal pain. To correctly assess this client, the nurse would
a. defer palpation altogether.
b. give pain medication before starting.
c. palpate the nonpainful areas first.
d. percuss the abdomen before ausculating.
C
The correct sequence of assessments when evaluating a client's abdomen is inspection, ausculta-tion, percussion, and palpation. When palpating, start in any nonpainful areas first. Use light palpation and then move to deeper palpation, being cautious over any painful areas. Giving pain medication may hinder accurate assessments.
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