A nurse is performing a physical assessment for a 13-year-old adolescent. Which of the following actions should the nurse take?

A. Auscultate the abdomen for at least 1 min if bowel sounds are absent: If bowel sounds are absent, the nurse should listen for a full 5 minutes before determining true absence. Listening for only 1 minute may lead to an inaccurate conclusion. B. Observe abdominal movement to determine the respiratory rate: Abdominal movement is observed for respiratory assessment in infants and younger children. By adolescence, chest movement is more reliable for assessing respiratory rate. C. Use the FACES scale to assess pain: The FACES scale is typically used for younger children who may struggle with numeric rating scales. A 13-year-old adolescent can generally use a numeric scale (0–10) for accurate self-reporting of pain. D. Have the child bend forward at the waist and check for asymmetry of the scapula: This is an appropriate screening method for scoliosis in adolescents. Bending forward allows the nurse to detect uneven shoulders, hips, or scapulae, which are common indicators of spinal curvature.