During an abdominal examination, which assessment technique should a nurse perform after inspecting the abdomen?

After inspecting the abdomen, the appropriate next step in an abdominal examination is auscultation. This sequence is crucial because auscultation allows the nurse to assess bowel sounds and any vascular sounds without interference from palpation or percussion, which could alter the frequency or quality of the sounds heard.

Auscultation should be performed on a quiet abdomen to ensure accurate detection of normal and abnormal sounds, allowing healthcare providers to gather vital information regarding gastrointestinal activity. By listening for bowel sounds, a nurse can determine if bowel activity is normal, reduced, or absent, which can indicate various gastrointestinal conditions.

The other techniques, while important in a comprehensive abdominal examination, are usually performed after auscultation. Palpation can stimulate bowel activity and produce sounds that may not represent the true state of the abdomen, thereby complicating the assessment. Percussion is used to evaluate the size and density of abdominal organs, and measurement of girth is a separate assessment focusing on abdominal distention rather than direct auscultation of the sounds. Therefore, following proper sequence enhances the reliability of the examination findings.