Which assessment would the nurse document as a skin tether in the breast

With the patient sitting up, palpation is started.

The clinician should use the flats of the finger pads, not the tips, for enhanced sensitivity and should remain cognizant of the patient’s nipple and avoid incidental contact with his or her hand.

The examiner is responsible for evaluating all tissue between the skin and the chest wall.

Although it is possible to repeat the palpation pattern using different degrees of pressure (and therefore depth of tissue being assessed), a more efficient approach is to spiral in each position from superficial to deep, paying attention to the tissue at each level.

Palpation is begun at the medial portion of the chest wall below the clavicle and progresses down and up in a “vertical strips” pattern.

The examiner should slide from palpation position to position rather than lifting his or her hand.

Palpation is repeated on the opposite breast.

In this position, it is difficult to have confidence in the examination of the underside of the breast in full-breasted patients.

Breast exam 2

Next, the patient is asked to lie flat with the arm of the breast being examined behind the patient's head. This stretches out the breast tissue against the chest wall and is particularly helpful in examining the lower quadrants.

The breast is palpated following a “spokes of the wheel” pattern. The areola and subareolar breast tissue in is included in the palpation pattern.

Attempting to “milk” the breast is unnecessary unless the patient has described a discharge.