During an abdominal assessment, the nurse is unable to hear bowel sounds in a client's abdomen. How long should the nurse listen before reporting absent bowel sounds?
1 minute in the center of the abdomen.
10 minutes in each quadrant.
1 minute in each quadrant.
5 minutes in each quadrant.
None
None
The Correct Answer is D
A. One minute may not provide a sufficient duration to declare absent bowel sounds, especially if the client has a slower bowel motility.
B.
Listening for 10 minutes in each quadrant is excessive and not supported by clinical guidelines. It would unnecessarily delay care and increase patient discomfort.
C. One minute in each quadrant might not provide an adequate assessment time.
D. This is the correct answer because clinical guidelines recommend auscultating for at least 5 minutes in each quadrant before concluding that bowel sounds are absent. This ensures sufficient time to detect infrequent bowel sounds and accurately assess the situation.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is C
Explanation
A. African Americans typically have a higher bone density compared to Caucasians and tend to have a lower risk of osteoporosis.
B. Asian men also have a lower risk due to generally higher bone density than Caucasians.
C. Postmenopausal Caucasian women have a higher risk due to hormonal changes after menopause, leading to decreased bone density.
D. American Indians can have varying risks but are not typically considered a population with the highest risk for osteoporosis.

Correct Answer is D
Explanation
A. A peritoneal friction rub is a grating sound caused by inflamed surfaces of the peritoneum rubbing together.
B. Borborygmi refers to loud, gurgling bowel sounds often heard with increased intestinal motility.
C. Hypoactive bowel sounds are abnormally decreased or absent bowel sounds.
D. Borborygmi describes the normal sounds made by the movement of gas and fluid in the intestines.
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