When auscultating a client’s abdomen, nurse Kelly detects high-pitched gurgles over the lower right quadrant.
Based on this finding, the nurse suspects:
a- decreased bowel motility.
b- increased bowel motility.
c- nothing abnormal.
d- abdominal cramping.
Answer C.
High-pitched gurgles are a normal finding.
Decreased bowel motility causes two or three bowel sounds per minute; increased bowel motility causes hyperactive bowel sounds.
Abdominal cramping causes hyperactive, high-pitched tinkling bowel sounds and may indicate a bowel obstruction.
Symptoms of abdominal pain:
These symptoms are associated with abdominal sounds in some cases, so be aware of them:
- Nausea.
- Abdominal pain with feeling fullness.
- Constipation.
- Diarrhea.
- Bloody stool.
- acidity of the stomach.
- Thinness.
- Sudden weight loss.
When examining a patient who has abdominal pain a nurse should assess which quadrant?
Place the diaphragm of your stethoscope lightly over the right lower quadrant and listen for bowel sounds. If you don't hear any, continue listening for 5 minutes within that quadrant. Then, listen to the right upper quadrant, the left upper quadrant, and the left lower quadrant.
What does the right lower quadrant do?
The lower left quadrant is where the small intestine, colon, ureter, and major veins or arteries to the veins are located. Lastly, the lower right abdominal area is the site of the appendix, ascending colon, and part of the female reproductive organs.
What is in the lower right quadrant of the abdomen?
Organs found in the right lower quadrant include the appendix, the upper portion of the colon, and the right ovary and the Fallopian tube in women. The right lower quadrant may be assessed when diagnosing appendicitis, in which case, this quadrant would be tender and painful.
When assessing the four quadrants of the abdomen the nurse knows that which of the following are located in the left upper quadrant?
Major Organs in the Four Quadrants
Left Upper Quadrant: Liver, stomach, pancreas, left kidney, spleen, and the left adrenal gland. Right Lower Quadrant: appendix, reproductive organs, right ureter. NOTE: All four quadrants contain portions of the small and large intestines.
What quadrant is the lower right of the patient?
The right lower quadrant (RLQ) is a section of your tummy (abdomen). Look down at your tummy, and mentally divide the area from the bottom of your ribs down to your pubic hair into four quarters. The quarter on your right side below your belly button is your RLQ.
Why does the nurse begin auscultating the abdomen in the right lower quadrant quizlet?
The nurse should begin auscultation in the right lower quadrant (RLQ) and not the left upper quadrant (LUQ). This is because bowel sounds are normally present at the ileocecal valve area in the RLQ.)
What are abnormal bowel sounds?
Decreased or absent bowel sounds often indicate constipation. Increased (hyperactive) bowel sounds can sometimes be heard even without a stethoscope. Hyperactive bowel sounds mean there is an increase in intestinal activity. This may happen with diarrhea or after eating.
What is the abnormal sound of abdomen?
Abdominal sounds may either be classified as normal, hypoactive, or hyperactive. Hypoactive, or reduced, bowel sounds often indicate that intestinal activity has slowed down. On the other hand, hyperactive bowel sounds are louder sounds related to increased intestinal activity.
What do you hear when you Auscultate the abdomen?
Auscultation of the abdomen is performed for detection of altered bowel sounds, rubs, or vascular bruits. Normal peristalsis creates bowel sounds that may be altered or absent by disease. Irritation of serosal surfaces may produce a sound (rub) as an organ moves against the serosal surface.
When the nurse Auscultates the abdomen the assessment should begin in which quadrant?
Begin in the right lower quadrant (RLQ), and move in sequence up to the right upper quadrant (RUQ), left upper quadrant (LUQ), and finally the left lower quadrant (LLQ). Auscultate for bruits over the aorta, renal arteries, iliac arteries, and femoral arteries.
Why does the nurse begin auscultating the abdomen in the right lower quadrant?
Always begin in the right lower quadrant because this is the location of the ileocecal valve, which is a muscular sphincter that allows contents to move from the ileum of the small intestine to the cecum of the large intestine.