Abdominal Assessment

An abdominal assessment should answer three clinical questions: where is the problem, what process could explain it, and is the client becoming unstable? The history gives the examination its context. Onset and migration of pain, vomiting, the last stool or passage of flatus, urinary symptoms, bleeding, previous surgery, pregnancy possibility, and medications such as opioids or NSAIDs can change the significance of the same physical finding. A soft abdomen with stable vital signs presents a different risk picture from a distended, guarded abdomen with tachycardia, even when the reported pain score is similar. The examination therefore follows a protective sequence: inspect, auscultate, percuss, and palpate. A new rigid abdomen, rebound tenderness, or signs of shock take priority over completing a routine examination.