Practice Question
Percussion is one of the four main assessment techniques used by nurses during a comprehensive health assessment. What is the technique and purpose of using percussion?
Answer Choices:
Correct Answer:
Using the hands to touch and feel for surface characteristics
Rationale:
✔️Percussion is a clinical assessment technique where the nurse taps on the body surface with fingers or hands to produce sounds.
✔️The resulting tones help determine the density and composition of underlying structures such as air, fluid, or solid organs.
✔️For example, a resonant sound is normal over lungs, while dullness may indicate fluid, consolidation, or a solid organ (like the liver).
✔️It assists in assessing conditions such as pleural effusion, pneumothorax, or organ enlargement.
✔️Along with inspection, palpation, and auscultation, percussion is an essential method to collect objective data about internal structures during a comprehensive health assessment.
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This question is from Final Exam A1 FA25 which contains 50 questions.
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Question Details
- Category: RN Nursing Exam(s)
- Subcategory: Examplify Exam(s)
- Domain: Health Assessment
- Answer Choices: 4