The Nurse Is Preparing to Assess a Patient's Abdomen by Palpation

The nurse is preparing to assess a patient's abdomen by palpation. How should the nurse proceed?

A) Avoid palpation of reportedly "tender" areas because palpation in these areas may cause pain.
B) Palpate a tender area quickly to avoid any discomfort that the patient may experience.
C) Start the assessment with deep palpation, while encouraging the patient to relax and take deep breaths.
D) Begin the assessment with light palpation to detect surface characteristics and to accustom the patient to being touched.