Stop the Talking and Start Listening

Often patients don’t realize that during auscultation of the heart and lungs we can’t hear them, and they continue to talk. One way to help prevent this is to listen to the lungs first instead of the heart. Ask patients to take deep breaths and they will stop talking. This strategy will allow you to conduct a thorough lung and heart examination.

-Gregory S. Morales, MD
    Los Angeles

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