When assessing a newly admitted patient, the nurse notes a thrill along the left sternal border. To obtain more information about the cause of the thrill, which action will the nurse take next?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Both thrills and murmurs are caused by turbulent blood flow, such as occurs when blood flows through a damaged valve. Relevant information includes the quality of the murmur, where in the cardiac cycle the murmur is heard, and where on the thorax the murmur is heard best. The other information also is important in the cardiac assessment but will not provide information that is relevant to the thrill.

When Assessing a Newly Admitted Patient, the Nurse Notes a Thrill