Health Assessment

[elusive]

Hey guys!

I have my health assessment exam this week, and i need some help with abdominal.. I can never find the liver (stupid elusive organ) and finding the aortic pulsation in the abdomen is hell! And in cardiac.. blah.. the jugular pulsation....i dont get the measurment! HELP my practical exam is one of 4 possibles, ABD, NEURO, CARDIAC and RESPIRATORY. If i can get those three down I'd be sailing free.. the test is wednesday, HELP! any easy ways to understand this.. the text isnt much help...

[anitame]

A quote from my Health Assessment book "The liver usually cannot be palpated in the normal adult." Your post is timely as I just did my Health Assessment final (for my RN to BSN program) today. We did have to percuss the liver though. Are you looking to SEE the aortic pulsation? Cause you can only see it on very thin people. It is audible to auscultation though, a couple inches above the umbilicus. Listen with the bell. As for the jugular pulsation, we just had to identify it, didn't have to measure.

Good luck!

[emily_mom]

Do you know how to do the liver scratch test? I'm assuming that's what you mean. You place your scope on the 4th or 5th intercostal space and then scratch up until the scratching gets very clear. We never palpated liver because you can only get the bottom part of it anyway and it's very uncomfortable for the pt.

K

[elusive]

Thanks guys.. i think ill do the scratch test unless they ask me to palpate for it, in which case im sure i can fake it :) Im practicing with a couple people after my exam tomorrow on it... right now im off to write the written section of health assessment...thanks for your help!