Practice Question
The nurse is caring for a patient who has just arrived at the emergency room. The nurse listens to the patient's lung sounds, palpates the patient's peripheral pulses, and obtains vital signs. What is the best description of the nurse's actions?
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Correct Answer:
Collecting physical data
Rationale:
🩺 Listening to lung sounds (auscultation), palpating peripheral pulses (palpation), and obtaining vital signs are classic components of the physical assessment that yield objective data.
🩺 These actions occur in the Assessment phase of the nursing process, where the nurse gathers measurable, observable findings to form a baseline.
🩺 Diagnostic reasoning comes later and involves interpreting the collected cues to generate hypotheses or a nursing diagnosis—not merely collecting them.
🩺 Setting time frames and establishing priorities for outcomes belong to the Planning phase, after data have been compiled and analyzed.
🩺 By focusing on systematic data collection, the nurse ensures subsequent clinical decisions are grounded in accurate objective findings.
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This question is from ☑️ATI- Custom Exam 4 Fundamentals 25Q3 which contains 33 questions.
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Question Details
- Category: RN Nursing Exam(s)
- Subcategory: ATI Exam(s)
- Domain: RN ATI Fundamentals of Nursing
- Answer Choices: 4