Percussing?

DustinRN · Jun 27, 2005

I was just wondering if any other students out there learned this skill? We learned it and we seem to use it when doing our physical exam...atleast on all the systems we have covered so far. Our profs have us practice it but keep telling us that we prob will never use the skill.
For the current RN's out there do you often find yourself using this skill? If you do, normally in what situation do you find yourself using it?
Also for those who are really good at it, what is your secret..maybe it just takes practice...im not so great at it yet but working on it...

I've never used this technique, but I'm sure there are some advantages to understanding it.

blue eyes · Jun 27, 2005

i was just wondering if any other students out there learned this skill?

yes! we had to learn how to do indirect percussion - part of our skills assessment for the semester just gone was physical assessment, had to get this signed off before results could be processed.

while i seem to have good technique, it's distinguishing sounds that i can't do - you know, tympany, resonant, hyperresonant, dull, flat and booming.

our lecturer told us it's all in the wrist; you have to keep your wrist relaxed to elicit the correct/appropriate notes.

elizabells, BSN, RN · Jun 27, 2005

We had to learn it too - our instructors told us the only time we'd probably use it was if we were in a situation where a chest Xray was unavailable and we suspected pneumonia.

snowfreeze, BSN, RN · Jun 27, 2005

A good assessment can help you to decide where further diagnosis will be helpful.

What are you accomplishing with this assessment, basic admission, change in respiratory status, ongoing observation on a known respiratory patient, change in level of consciousness. What are you ruling out? What will you do with your findings? What other findings have led you to do percussion? Just doing percussion on patients that you already know what is going on will help you to become better at this skill.

Dayray, RN · Jun 27, 2005

We only breifly learned about it in school. I use it fairly offten too :

figure out if abdominal swelling is due to gas or blood, to see if a liver is enlarged, lol more offten then not I end up useing it to figure out if abd pain is due to something serious or just gas. Of course I follow up my assessment with labs but its nice to know what the labs are going to show before they come back.

As for a secret mine is practice. I cant really describe the sounds but I can tell if im hearing fluid gas or solid. I don't chart my findings with percussion I just use them to stear me in the right dictection.

GrnHonu99, RN · Jun 27, 2005

thanks guys...i figured there wouldnt be any real secret, that it would just take practice:) I just wondered if it was a skill that was used often in practice:) It is also hard for me to distinguish the sounds but im assuming maybe if I hear them in clinical they will be easier to remember :)

Antikigirl, ASN, RN · Jun 27, 2005

We touched on it in school, but it was told to me..and I think it was a good saying "it is a part of the ART of nursing, something once learned can be a great asset, but not the only one in our artistic bag of tricks!".

I haven't used it...I have my own techniques of ausc that help me, and some palpating (I have very sensitive fingers..great at IV's..LOL!). But I wouldn't mind trying it out a bit more to see if I can learn this ART...doesn't hurt to have more tricks in my bag!

I think I will try it next week...

GrnHonu99, RN · Jun 27, 2005

We touched on it in school, but it was told to me..and I think it was a good saying "it is a part of the ART of nursing, something once learned can be a great asset, but not the only one in our artistic bag of tricks!".
I haven't used it...I have my own techniques of ausc that help me, and some palpating (I have very sensitive fingers..great at IV's..LOL!). But I wouldn't mind trying it out a bit more to see if I can learn this ART...doesn't hurt to have more tricks in my bag!
I think I will try it next week...

what is your special trick with auscultating? I havent had time to develop any special tricks of my own but maybe I can use yours:) I start my first clinical next tuesday so im trying to brush up on all my teq.s to impress my clinical instructor..or atleast be prepared:)