NURS 190 EXAM 2 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS SET
A+
✔✔What are the sensitive areas of the hand? - ✔✔• The finger pads are used for
discrimination of underlying structures and functions such as pulses, superficial lymph
nodes, or crepitus.
• Vibrations (vibrations) are best perceived by the examiner when using the base of the
fingers (metacarpophalangeal joints).
• The ulnar surface of the hand, including the finger, is most sensitive to vibrations such
as fremitus.
• The palmar aspect of the fingers is used to determine position, consistency, texture,
size of structures, pain, and tenderness.
• The dorsal surface of the fingers is most sensitive to temperature.
• The dominant hand is always more sensitive than the non-dominant hand.
✔✔What is light palpation used for? - ✔✔Light palpation is used with the pads of the
fingers to help assess the skin surface, pulses, textures, tenderness (1cm)
✔✔What is deep palpation? - ✔✔Used to palpate abdomen and internal organs
(2-4cm)
✔✔What is contraindicated for deep palpation? - ✔✔Dissecting aneurysms, peritonitis,
ectopic pregnancy
✔✔What is percussion? - ✔✔tapping the person's skin with short, sharp strokes to
assess underlying structures
, ✔✔What is direct percussion? - ✔✔Technique of tapping the body with the fingertips of
the dominant hand.
✔✔What is direct percussion used to assess for? - ✔✔Adult sinuses
✔✔What is blunt percussion? - ✔✔Non dominant hand is flat and dominant hand hits
over non dominant with a fist
✔✔What is blunt percussion used for? - ✔✔Assess for pain and tenderness in
gallbladder, liver, and kidneys
✔✔What is indirect percussion? - ✔✔It's the technique most commonly used (sounds
are clearer & more easily interpreted). A hammer or tapping finger is used
✔✔What is a tympany sound? - ✔✔loud, high pitched
✔✔Where would you hear a tympanic sound? - ✔✔stomach or intestines
✔✔What is a resonance sound? - ✔✔loud, low pitched, hollow
✔✔Where would you hear a resonance sound? - ✔✔lungs
✔✔What is a hyperresonance sound? - ✔✔loud, low pitched
✔✔Where would you hear a hyper resonance sound? - ✔✔air is trapped in lungs,
common among the elderly
✔✔What is a dullness sound? - ✔✔soft, high-pitched
✔✔Where would you hear a dullness sound? - ✔✔solid body organs- liver or stool-filled
colon
✔✔What is a flatness sound? - ✔✔soft, high-pitched
✔✔Where would you hear a flatness sound? - ✔✔solid tissue- muscle and bone
✔✔What is a goniometer? - ✔✔measures the degree of joint and flexion and extension
✔✔What is the skin fold caliper? - ✔✔measure the thickness of subcutaneous tissue
✔✔What is a transilluminator? - ✔✔detects blood, fluid, or masses in body cavities
✔✔What are wood lamps? - ✔✔detects fungal infections of the skin
A+
✔✔What are the sensitive areas of the hand? - ✔✔• The finger pads are used for
discrimination of underlying structures and functions such as pulses, superficial lymph
nodes, or crepitus.
• Vibrations (vibrations) are best perceived by the examiner when using the base of the
fingers (metacarpophalangeal joints).
• The ulnar surface of the hand, including the finger, is most sensitive to vibrations such
as fremitus.
• The palmar aspect of the fingers is used to determine position, consistency, texture,
size of structures, pain, and tenderness.
• The dorsal surface of the fingers is most sensitive to temperature.
• The dominant hand is always more sensitive than the non-dominant hand.
✔✔What is light palpation used for? - ✔✔Light palpation is used with the pads of the
fingers to help assess the skin surface, pulses, textures, tenderness (1cm)
✔✔What is deep palpation? - ✔✔Used to palpate abdomen and internal organs
(2-4cm)
✔✔What is contraindicated for deep palpation? - ✔✔Dissecting aneurysms, peritonitis,
ectopic pregnancy
✔✔What is percussion? - ✔✔tapping the person's skin with short, sharp strokes to
assess underlying structures
, ✔✔What is direct percussion? - ✔✔Technique of tapping the body with the fingertips of
the dominant hand.
✔✔What is direct percussion used to assess for? - ✔✔Adult sinuses
✔✔What is blunt percussion? - ✔✔Non dominant hand is flat and dominant hand hits
over non dominant with a fist
✔✔What is blunt percussion used for? - ✔✔Assess for pain and tenderness in
gallbladder, liver, and kidneys
✔✔What is indirect percussion? - ✔✔It's the technique most commonly used (sounds
are clearer & more easily interpreted). A hammer or tapping finger is used
✔✔What is a tympany sound? - ✔✔loud, high pitched
✔✔Where would you hear a tympanic sound? - ✔✔stomach or intestines
✔✔What is a resonance sound? - ✔✔loud, low pitched, hollow
✔✔Where would you hear a resonance sound? - ✔✔lungs
✔✔What is a hyperresonance sound? - ✔✔loud, low pitched
✔✔Where would you hear a hyper resonance sound? - ✔✔air is trapped in lungs,
common among the elderly
✔✔What is a dullness sound? - ✔✔soft, high-pitched
✔✔Where would you hear a dullness sound? - ✔✔solid body organs- liver or stool-filled
colon
✔✔What is a flatness sound? - ✔✔soft, high-pitched
✔✔Where would you hear a flatness sound? - ✔✔solid tissue- muscle and bone
✔✔What is a goniometer? - ✔✔measures the degree of joint and flexion and extension
✔✔What is the skin fold caliper? - ✔✔measure the thickness of subcutaneous tissue
✔✔What is a transilluminator? - ✔✔detects blood, fluid, or masses in body cavities
✔✔What are wood lamps? - ✔✔detects fungal infections of the skin
