RN Exam Practice
Health Promotion and MaintenanceQuestion 312 of 2368

Which sequence should the nurse use when performing a physical assessment of the abdomen?

  1. Inspection, auscultation, then palpation
  2. Inspection, palpation, then auscultation
  3. Auscultation, inspection, then palpation
  4. Palpation, auscultation, then inspection
Show answer

Correct answer: Inspection, auscultation, then palpation

Palpation can change bowel sounds, so auscultation is done first. The abdomen is the exception to the usual order of assessment.

Source: Nursing Skills, 2nd edition (Open RN, Chippewa Valley Technical College, 2023), Abdominal Assessment: Objective Assessment. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.

Practice the topic "Health Promotion and Maintenance"

Questions last reviewed: 18 October 2026