During the precordial assessment on an 8-month pregnant patient,the nurse palpates the apical impulse at the fourth left intercostal space lateral to the midclavicular line.This would indicate:

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Palpation of the apical impulse is higher and lateral compared with the normal position because the enlarging uterus elevates the diaphragm and displaces the heart up and to the left and rotates it on its long axis.

During the Precordial Assessment on an 8-Month Pregnant Patient,the Nurse