Practicum/CMV Recall Flashcards
List the few things that can be assessed by simply looking.
RR, rhythm, and pattern
WOB
Abnormalities of the skeleton
Digital clubbing
Patient’s color
What is palpation?
This is a physical assessment by touch
What can be assessed by palpation?
Areas of tenderness, symmetry of excursion, tactile fremitus, subcutaneous emphysema, and tracheal deviation.
How do you assess for areas of tenderness?
Palpate the chest. The patient may complain about areas that are sore or tender to the touch.
How do you assess symmetry of excursion?
The hands are placed on the R and L side of the chest or clavicles. As the patient inhales the hands should move apart in a symmetrical manner.
What is indicated if one hand moves more than the other while assessing the chest wall for symmetry.
This may indicate consolidation, pleural effusion, atelectasis, or pneumothorax.
What is tactile fremitus? What does an increase in tactile fremitus indicate? What may cause it to increase?
Tactile fremitus is vibration felt on palpation of the chest during phonation or speech.
An increase in tactile fremitus indicates an increase in density of the underlying tissue.
This change may be caused by pneumonia or atelectasis
What is subcutaneous emphysema? What could cause this?
Subcutaneous emphysema is the prescience of air beneath the skin in the subcutaneous tissues.
This condition is sometimes a complication of tracheostomy , pneumothorax, or mechanical ventilation.
If the trachea shifts toward the affected side, what condition may be present?
Atelectasis, fibrosis
If the trachea shifts away from the affected side what conditions may be present?
Pleural effusion, pneumothorax, and a tension-pneumothorax
What is assessing by percussion?
Percussion is tapping on the chest while listening for the resulting sound.
What are the 4 different sounds that may be heard while percussing the chest?
Hyperresonance, resonance, dullness, and flatness
What is hyperresonance? What can cause it and what sound is produced?
Hyperresonance is an abnormal percussion sound heard over the chest. It occurs as a result of air trapping or from air in a closed cavity. (Ex: pneumothorax)
Loud, low pitched sound
What is resonance? What sound does it produce?
Resonance is the sound heard in percussing normal lung tissue. It is a low pitched sound of long duration.
What is dullness
