Cardio
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Place the bed at a 30 degree angle
Expose patients upper chest
Inspect for JVP using a light bilaterally – JVP should be visible at a 30 degree angle
Inspect for apical pulse – should only be visible in a really thin patient
Palpate for apical pulse – apical pulse should be 60-100 beats per minute and a regular
rhythm
Auscultate APE T M with diaphragm, then bell – S1 heard louder at apex and S2 louder
at base, no abnormal heart sounds or murmurs heard
Abdomen
- put client in supine position, expose abdomen and drape all other areas
- patients knees slightly bent
- Inspect the abdomen – color can be paler than overall skin color, veins and striae may
be present, note any scars, note if abdomen is flat or round, abdomen is symmetric,
umbilicus is midline and recessed/protruding
- Auscultate for bowel sounds – 4 RUQ, 3 LUQ, 3 LLQ, 3 RLQ, bowel sounds should be