What should the nurse do for this procedure if she prepares to auscultate a client's carotid arteries for bruits?

Use the bell of the stethoscope. With the client holding his breath, the nurse uses the bell of the stethoscope to auscultate the carotid arteries for bruits. Having the client inhale would interfere with the nurses ability to detect sound. Palpating the radial artery wouldnt yield significant information and could interfere with the nurses ability to listen without interruptions or distractions. The nurse uses the diaphragm of the stethoscope to detect high-pitched sounds, such as breath and bowel sounds.