Esther Park is an adult patient in Shadow Health Simulation presenting with abdominal pain. To conduct an effective abdominal assessment, a structured approach combining thorough subjective interview, proper physical examination and accurate documentation have to be followed. Points noted during the simulation of Esther Park will be discussed in this article.
- Subjective Data Collection.
Gather comprehensive information about the patient to further understand the chief complaint. Make sure you use empathy where needed, for instance, “I’m sorry you’re experiencing this discomfort.” This helps build rapport with the patient. Position your patient making sure she’s lying supine then proceed to objective data collection.
2. Objective Data Collection.
Perform the abdominal assessment in the correct order; Inspection-Auscultation-Percussion-Palpation. To start with;
- Inspection:
Observe the abdomen for symmetry, distention and any skin changes. For instance, no distention was noted for Esther’s case. There was visible scaring from a previous surgery.
- Auscultation:
Listen for bowel sounds in all the four quadrants. Normoactive bowel sounds were noted for Esther Park’s case. Abdominal sounds help indicate the presence of bowel movements
- Percussion:
Assess all the quadrants for tympany or dullness. For Esther Park, the finding was tympanic sound in all quadrants with scattered dullness over LLQ.
- Palpation:
Start with light palpation first then proceed to deep palpation. Check for tenderness, guarding or masses. Let the patient know the need to communicate when any pain is felt. For Esther Park’s case, the finding made was, “Soft in all quadrant with an oblong mass noted in the LLQ with guarding.”
Shadow Health Tips for Effectiveness.
- Be systematic when palpating the four quadrants. It is advisable to either go clockwise or anticlockwise.
- Note the verbal and the non-verbal cues presented by the patients and note them down for synthesis. For instance, during palpation, note for pain.
- Always make sure you follow the hints provided during the animation to avoid missing out on important points.
- Use empathy and education when interviewing the patient. For instance, the need for high fiber diet for Esther Park was necessary to avoid future constipation complications.
Conclusion.
Following the structure discussed above including the tips leads to a thorough assessment of abdominal pain patients like Esther Park during Shadow Health Simulation test.
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References.
MedlinePlus. (n.d.). MedlinePlus – Health Information from the National Library of Medicine. https://medlineplus.gov/
NANDA International, Inc. (2025, October 14). NANDA International, Inc | Home. NANDA International, Inc |. https://www.nanda.org/ Shadow Health Health Assessment Digital Clinical ExperiencesTM for undergraduate nursing students. (n.d.). www.elsevier.com. https://www.elsevier.com/products/shadow-health/health-assessment
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (n.d.). CDC. https://www.cdc.gov/
