Question

The nurse is told in report the client has aortic stenosis. Which anatomical position should the nurse auscultate to assess the murmur?

a. Second intercostal space, right sternal notch.
b. Erb's point.
c. Second intercostal space, left sternal notch.
d. Fourth intercostal space, left sternal border.

Answer 1

To assess a murmur from aortic stenosis, the nurse should auscultate at the second intercostal space at the right sternal border. This location aligns with the aortic valve, from which the sounds of aortic stenosis typically emanate.

Step-by-step explanation:

To assess a murmur associated with aortic stenosis, the nurse should auscultate at the second intercostal space, right at the sternal border. This anatomical position is specifically where sounds from the aortic valve are best heard. The aortic valve is one of the two semilunar valves of the heart, controlling blood flow from the left ventricle into the aorta. Proper placement of the stethoscope's bell at this location is crucial for the accurate auscultation of heart sounds associated with various cardiac conditions, such as aortic stenosis.

It is noteworthy that auscultation technique includes asking the patient to breathe deeply, which may amplify heart murmurs. However, hearing the murmur associated with aortic stenosis does not typically require the patient to be in any specific respiratory phase, as it is often well heard in both inspiration and expiration phases.