Final answer:
In documenting pleurisy in a patient, the nurse would describe the low-pitched grating lung sound as a pleural friction rub. This would include details about the sound's occurrence during the respiratory cycle, intensity, and any associated symptoms.
Step-by-step explanation:
When documenting a patient with pleurisy, a low-pitched grating lung sound would be characterized as pleural friction rub. This sound is produced by the movement of inflamed pleural layers against one another. The nurse would note the characteristics of the sound, which may be similar to the sound of walking on fresh snow or creaking leather. These sounds typically occur during both inhalation and exhalation and can be localized to a particular area of the chest.
The nurse's documentation should be precise to aid in the diagnostic process. It should include observations of when the sound occurs during the respiratory cycle, its intensity, duration, and any associated symptoms such as pain during breathing which is common in pleurisy. Along with noting these auscultatory findings, other diagnostic results such as chest radiographs showing cavities, opacities, or specific patterns indicative of pleurisy or other conditions would also be important to include in the patient's medical record.