Components of a Nursing Assessment of the Chest and Thorax

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A nurse should conduct a comprehensive nursing assessment of the patient’s chest and thorax who is showing signs and symptoms related to chest and thorax problems. A nurse should be able to: 

• Listen to lung sounds front and back
• Assess respiratory exclusion level
• Palpate thorax
• Assess spinal curvature
• Ask about coughing and respiratory issues

At the end of this topic, a nurse will be able to:

• Demonstrate
  • Inspection of the chest and thorax
  • Palpation of the chest and thorax
  • Percussion of the chest and thorax
  • Auscultation of the chest and thorax
• Identify
  • Anatomical landmarks of the chest and thorax
  • Normal breath sounds
  • Adventitious breath sounds
  • Normal heart sounds
  • Abnormal heart sounds
• Locates anatomical landmarks of heart sounds
• Documents findings in a standardized and organized format

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