Auscultation (listening to body sounds) is used frequently, most often to assess the heart, lungs, and abdomen.

A stethoscope is required to heat soft sounds, but in some cases, loud sounds, such as those associated with intestinal hyperactivity, are audible with gross hearing (i.e., listening without any instrumentation). It is a technical term for listening to the internal sounds of the body, usually using a stethoscope; based on the Latin verb auscultare "to listen". Auscultation is performed for the purposes of examining the circulatory system and respiratory system (heart sounds and breath sounds), as well as the gastrointestinal system (bowel sounds). Nurses must practice auscultation repeatedly on various healthy and ill people to gain proficiency with the equipment and experience in interpreting data. To ensure the accuracy of findings, it is best to eliminate or reduce environmental noise as much as possible.

Assessment using sense of hearing (auscultation) It is important that a nurse learns to listen effectively, so that not only what a client says is registered but also the tone of voice, which often conveys a great deal. A nurse must also learn how to recognize abnormal sounds. In client care, recognizing abnormal sounds involves the ability to detect: Abnormalities of breathing: for example, respirations that are wheezing, or noisy or distressed Abnormalities of heart sounds, blood pressure, bowel sounds or fetal heart sounds, when using stethoscope Manifestation of a clients distress for example, coughing, expectorating sputum, vomiting, crying or moaning Changes in the sound or rhythm of technical equipment such as suction artificial ventilation apparatus Auscultation is listening with a stethoscope to sounds produced by the body. To auscultate correctly, listen in a quiet environment. To be successful, the nurse must be first able to recognize normal sounds from each body structure, including the passage of blood through artery, heart sounds and movement of air through the lungs.

Assessment using the sense of smell (offaction) A well-developed sense of smell enables a nurse to detect odors that are characteristic of certain conditions. Some alterations in body functions and certain bacteria create characteristic odors, for example: The fishy smell of infected urine The ammonia odor associated with concentrated or decomposed urine The musty or offensive odor of an infected wound The offensive rotting odor associated with gangrene (tissue necrosis) The smell of ketones on the breath of ketoacidosis (accumulation of ketones in the body) The smell of alcohol on the breath due to ingestion of alcohol Halitosis (offensive breath) accompanying mouth infections; for example, gingivitis of certain disorders of the digestive system; for example, appendicitis The foul odor associated with steatorrhea (abnormal amount of fat in the feces) The characteristic odor associated with malaens (abnormal black tarry stool containing blood)