Author Question: Which of these clinical situations would the nurse consider to be outside normal limits? a. A ... (Read 61 times)

HCHenry · **on:** Jun 25, 2018

Which of these clinical situations would the nurse consider to be outside normal limits?

a. A patient has had one pregnancy and states that she believes she may be entering menopause. Her breast examination reveals breasts that are soft and slightly sagging.
b. A patient has never been pregnant. Her breast examination reveals large pendulous breasts that have a firm, transverse ridge along the lower quadrant in both breasts.
c. A patient has never been pregnant and reports that she should begin her period tomorrow. Her breast examination reveals breast tissue that is nodular and somewhat engorged. She states that the examination was slightly painful.
d. A patient has had two pregnancies, and she breastfed both of her children. Her youngest child is now 10 years old. Her breast examination reveals breast tissue that is somewhat soft, and she has a small amount of thick yellow discharge from both nipples.

Question 2

The nurse is palpating a female patient's breasts during an examination. Which of these positions is most likely to make significant lumps more distinct during breast palpation?

a. Supine with the arms raised over her head
b. Sitting with the arms relaxed at her sides
c. Supine with the arms relaxed at her sides
d. Sitting with the arms flexed and fingertips touching her shoulders

Eunice618 · **Reply #1 on:** Jun 25, 2018

Answer to Question 1

ANS: D
If any discharge appears, the nurse should note its color and consistency. Except in pregnancy and lactation, any discharge is abnormal. In nulliparous women, normal breast tissue feels firm, smooth, and elastic; after pregnancy, the tissue feels soft and loose. Premenstrual engorgement is normal, and consists of a slight enlargement, tenderness to palpation, and a generalized nodularity. A firm, transverse ridge of compressed tissue in the lower quadrants, known as the inframammary ridge, is especially noticeable in large breasts.

Answer to Question 2

ANS: A
The nurse should help the woman to a supine position, tuck a small pad under the side to be palpated, and help the woman raise her arm over her head. These maneuvers will flatten the breast tissue and medially displace it. Any significant lumps will then feel more distinct.