Question

what technique does the nurse use to performs light palpation on a client abdomen?

Answer 1

Light Palpation:

Palpation is the act of feeling or pushing on various parts of a patient's body to determine medi conditions such as the normality of the organ or the presence or absence of tumors, swelling, muscle tension etc. It is one of the technique for physical examination.

Palpation is of two types Light Palpation and Deep Palpation. Light Palpation is more superficial compare to deep Palpation. The technique is used to identify the superficial masses and organs , also abdominal wall crepitus can be felt by light Palpation. On the other hand internal organs like liver , stomach , caecum can be felt by deep Palpation .

Technique of Light Palpation:

* Position the patient correctly.

* Maintain privacy while exposing the needed area

* Ask the patient to bend the knees to improve abdominal relaxation .

* Place the hand and try to palpate and   can ask the patient for abdominal breathing.

* Keep the fingers together of the dominant hand and palpate with the finger pads by pressing to about 1 cm depth in a circular motion.  

* Move in a clock wise or anti- clock direction , slightly lift the hands while moving to another spot

* Avoid the Palpation at area of tenderness, if any during the first minutes

* Examine all the regions of abdomen , observe the patient face for signs of pain and discomfort , note the irregularities , masses and crepitus.