What technique does a nurse use to assess tactile (vocal) fremitus?

The technique used to assess tactile (vocal) fremitus involves palpating the thorax while the client speaks. This method focuses on feeling the vibrations transmitted through the chest wall as the patient vocalizes sounds.

When a patient says phrases such as "ninety-nine" or "blue balloons," the nurse places their hands on different areas of the patient's thorax. The ability to feel these vibrations allows the nurse to assess for variations in airflow and lung density. Changes in fremitus can indicate various underlying health issues, such as consolidation in pneumonia, where fremitus might be increased, or in cases of pleural effusion or pneumothorax, where it may be diminished or absent.

Listening through a stethoscope is primarily for auscultation of lung sounds rather than assessing tactile fremitus. Percussing the chest is done to evaluate resonance and help determine the presence of abnormalities but does not provide information about tactile fremitus. Measuring chest expansion offers insight into the movement of the lungs during respiration but does not assess the vibrations produced during speech. Thus, palpation of the thorax while the client speaks is the specific technique used to assess tactile fremitus effectively.