Difficulty: Medium
Average Score: 76%
Simulated
When percussing over the abdomen of an obese patient, the nurse is unable to identify any changes in sound. What would the nurse do next?
Correct answer
C
Rationale
When percussing an obese patient's abdomen, the thickness of their body wall can affect the sound produced. A stronger percussion stroke is needed for obese or very muscular patients. The force of the blow determines the loudness of the note. Asking the patient to take deep breaths, considering the finding as normal, or decreasing the strength used are not appropriate actions in this scenario.