The nurse encourages the client to “relax and take a deep, slow breath

The nurse encourages the client to “relax and take a deep, slow breath” in order to prepare for a palpating assessment of the abdomen. The primary reason for this is to:

1. Encourage the client to be emotionally comfortable and relaxed
2. Distract the client from the actual possible discomfort the pressure may cause
3. Facilitate the effectiveness of the palpating technique to detect abdominal masses
4. Allow the client an opportunity to cope with any bad feelings regarding the ex-amination

ANSWER

ANS: 3
Before palpation, help the client relax and be comfortable because muscle tension during palpa-tion impairs effective assessment. To promote relaxation, have the client take slow, deep breaths and place the arms along the side of the body. While the other options may be reasonable, they are not the primary reason for encouraging the client to relax.