Published
Do nurses palpate all cardiac valves with their head-to-toe assessment every time in the real world?
I didn't learn this in my BSN program, nor have I learned it in my MSN NP program. To be honest, I don't even understand how you could even possibly palpate a cardiac valve? The aortic and pulmonic valves are underneath the rib cage, so how would you palpate those? This is so bizarre.
Did you mean to say auscultate instead of palpate? Because then that would make sense.
nursetobe111
10 Posts
Thank you for all your wonderful responses! I didn't think of the "thrill" aspect to palpating cardiac valves, which is probably what my instructor was trying to get us to think about. That being said, I probably won't be doing this in my own practice with the exception of perhaps the PMI. Thanks again!