How to Auscultate & do Physical Exam
Taking your Patient’s Pulse
Your first location is important, radial for adults, brachial for children, and listen to it for at least 15 seconds.
When auscultating the carotid arteries, listen to each location for at least 15 seconds.
Auscultating the Lungs
Listen to each location for one complete cycle (inspiration/exhalation). Pattern matters! Make sure you follow the correct pattern.
Anterior location pattern
- R Apex
- L Apex
- L Superior Lobe
- R Middle Lobe
- R Inferior Lobe
- L Inferior Lobe
- L Axillary
- R Axillary
Posterior location pattern
- L Apex
- R Apex
- R Lower Superior Lobe
- L Lower Superior Lobe
- L Inferior Lobe
- R Inferior Lobe
- R Base
- L Base
Auscultating the Heart
Listen for one complete cycle or 5-7 seconds.
Heart listening pattern
- Aortic
- Pulmonic
- Erb’s point
- Tricuspid
- Mitral – apex
- Mitral – midaxillary
Auscultating the Abdominal/Femoral Arteries
Listen for at least 15 seconds for each location.
Auscultating the Abdomen
Undergraduate Nursing: Listen to all four quadrants for a minimum of 8 seconds each and use the Interpretation field to document what you hear.
Graduate Nursing, Medical, PA, and DO Programs: Listen to all four quadrants as long as necessary to appropriately interpret the sounds and use the Interpretation field to document what you hear.
Abdomen listening locations
Right Upper Quadrant
Right Lower Quadrant
Left Upper Quadrant
Left Lower Quadrant
HEENT – Performing the ocular motor test (H-Test)
Recommended Process
Start over the patient’s nose and move left past the patient’s right eye, (1) up, (2) down, (3) back to eye level far left, to the right past the patient’s left eye, (4) up, (5) down, (6) back to eye level far right. Make sure your cursor connects or moves over the line at the required positions to obtain credit.
