During an abdominal assessment, which technique should follow auscultation?

The correct answer is percussion. In an abdominal assessment, the sequence of techniques is critically important to avoid altering bowel sounds and other findings. Following auscultation, percussion allows the clinician to assess the underlying structures and organs by tapping on the abdominal surface. This technique can provide valuable information about the presence of fluid, gas, or masses, and can help in determining the size of organs such as the liver or spleen.

By employing percussion after auscultation, the examiner ensures that the sounds heard during auscultation are not influenced by previous manipulations like palpation, which could stimulate bowel activity and potentially change the sounds heard. Thus, the rationale for the correct sequence—auscultation followed by percussion—follows the systematic approach to abdominal examination, ensuring accurate and reliable findings.

Inspection is typically the initial step in an abdominal assessment, while evaluation is a more general term that does not specifically refer to one of the assessment techniques.