A nurse inspects the abdomen for skin color, contour, surface characteristics, and symmetry.What part of the abdominal assessment does the nurse perform next?

Choice A rationaleLight palpation is typically performed after auscultation to assess for superficial tenderness, muscle tone, and pulsations. Auscultation precedes palpation to avoid inducing artificial bowel sounds or altering existing ones due to manual pressure.Choice B rationaleAuscultation of bowel sounds in all four quadrants is the next step in the abdominal assessment after inspection. Listening to bowel sounds provides information about the motility of the gastrointestinal tract and should be done before palpation or percussion, which can alter these sounds.Choice C rationalePercussion for tones in all four quadrants is usually performed after auscultation and before palpation. Percussion helps to assess the size and density of abdominal organs and to identify the presence of fluid or air.Choice D rationaleDeep palpation is performed last in the abdominal assessment sequence to evaluate for deeper masses and aortic pulsations. It follows inspection, auscultation, and light palpation, allowing the nurse to gather preliminary information before applying deeper pressure. .