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Abdominal Assessment Nursing

This article will explain how to assess the abdomen as a nurse. This assessment is part of the nursing head-to-toe assessment you have to perform in nursing school and on the job.

During the abdominal assessment you will be:

  • Inspecting
  • Auscultating
  • Palpating/Percussing

Video Demonstration on a Nursing Abdominal Assessment

Abdomen:

Switches to Inspection, Auscultation, Percussion, and Palpation

  • Have patient lay supine
  • Ask patient about their last about bowel movement and if they have any problems with urination. If a female patient, ask when their last menstrual period was.
    • If an ostomy is present note the type of ostomy, stoma color (should be pink and shiny), consistency and color of stool?

ostomy, stoma, colostomy, ileostomy

Inspect:

  • Stomach contour scaphoid, flat, rounded, protuberant?
  • Noted pulsations at the aorta (noted in thin patients): The aortic pulsation can be noted above the umbilicus.
  • Characteristics of the navel (invert or everted)
  • Masses (check for hernia after auscultation), PEG tube?

Auscultate with the diaphragm for bowel sounds:

  • start in the RIGHT LOWER QUADRANT and go clockwise in all the 4 quadrants
    • should hear 5 to 30 sounds per minute…if no, bowel sounds are noted listen for 5 full minutes
    • Documents as: normal, hyperactive, or hypoactive

auscultation of bowel sounds, abdominal assessment, nursing

Auscultate for bruits (vascular sounds) at the following locations using the BELL of the stethoscope:

  • Aorta: slightly below the xiphoid process midline with the umbilicus
  • Renal Arteries: go slightly down to the right and left at the aortic site
  • Iliac arteries: go few a inches down from the belly button at the right and left sides to listen
  • Femoral arteries: found in the right and left groin.

vascular sounds, abdominal assessment, nursing

Check for hernia: have patient raise up a bit and look for hernia (at stomach area or navel area)

Palpation of the abdomen:

  • Light palpation (2 cm): should feel soft with no pain or rigidity
  • Deep palpation (4-5 cm): feel for any masses, lumps, tenderness

palpation, abdomen, light palpation, deep palpation, nursing assessment

Complete nursing head-to-toe assessment

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