A nurse who is auscultating a patient's heart hears a harsh sound, a raspy machine-like blowing sound, after S1 and before S2. How does this nurse document this finding?
A) An opening snap
B) A diastolic murmur
C) A systolic murmur
D) A pericardial friction rub

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The blowing sound is a murmur. The nurse determines whether it is a systolic or a diastolic murmur based on where it is heard during the cardiac cycle. S1 indicates the beginning of systole; the sound is made by the closing of the mitral and tricuspid valves, which is followed by ventricular contraction or systole. An opening snap is caused by the opening of the mitral or tricuspid valve and is an abnormal sound heard in diastole when either valve is thickened, stenotic, or deformed. The sounds are high pitched and occur early in diastole. A diastolic murmur is heard after the S2 heart sound at the beginning of diastole. Pericardial friction rubs have a rubbing sound that is usually present in both diastole and systole, and is best heard over the apical area.

A Nurse Who Is Auscultating a Patient's Heart Hears a Harsh