This documentation indicates that the expected sound (vesicular) was heard, specifies where it was heard (majority of the lung fields), notes the absence of any additional (adventitious) sounds, and explicitly mentions some of the specific sounds you listened for but did not hear (wheezing, crackles, rhonchi, stridor). No wheezing, crackles, rhonchi, or stridor.” “Normal vesicular breath sounds heard over the majority of the lung fields. This means that you heard the expected breath sounds and there were no abnormal or extra sounds. If lung sounds are normal, they’re often described as “clear to auscultation bilaterally” or “CTAB” (an abbreviation of the same phrase). When charting normal lung sounds, it’s important to be concise, clear, and descriptive. Vesicular lung sounds: over most lung spacesĬharting normal lung sounds: how to document lung sounds.Bronchovesicular lung sounds: in the posterior chest between the scapulae and in the center of the anterior chest.Bronchial lung sounds: over the large airways in the anterior chest near the second and third intercostal spaces.The different types of lung sounds can be heard best in the following locations: Vesicular lung sounds: soft, blowing, or rustling.
Bronchovesicular lung sounds: softer than bronchial sounds with a tubular quality.Tracheal lung sounds: harsh, like air in a pipe.Bronchial lung sounds: loud and high-pitched.Students: Educators’ Pro Tips for Tough Topics.Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) Students.
The lung sounds are best heard with a stethoscope.