2024 PN NCLEX Questions Nursing Practice Question
A nurse is preparing to listen to the apical heart rate in the area of the mitral valve in an adult client. The nurse should place the stethoscope on which part of the client's chest?
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: To assess the apical heart rate at the mitral valve, the stethoscope should be placed at the fifth left interspace at the midclavicular line. This location corresponds to the anatomical position of the mitral valve, allowing for accurate auscultation of heart sounds.
Option A, the second left interspace, is where the pulmonic valve is best heard, not the mitral valve. Option B, the second right interspace, is associated with the aortic valve, making it unsuitable for this assessment. Option C, the left lower sternal border, is closer to the tricuspid valve area and does not provide optimal access to the mitral valve sounds.