Which tool should a nurse use to assess for clonus in a patient?

To assess for clonus, a nurse should use a reflex hammer. The reflex hammer is designed specifically for testing reflexes in the body, including deep tendon reflexes and assessing for clonus, which is a condition characterized by involuntary muscle contractions. By using the reflex hammer to tap on a tendon, such as the Achilles tendon, the nurse can elicit a response in the muscle, allowing for the detection of any sustained rhythmic contractions indicative of clonus.

The other tools mentioned do not serve the purpose of assessing for clonus. An auscultation device is primarily used for listening to bodily sounds, such as heartbeats or lung sounds, and does not assess muscle responses. A gait belt is used for patient safety during transfers and ambulation support, rather than for neurological assessments. An electronic muscle stimulator is intended for muscle rehabilitation and electrotherapy, not for the examination of reflexes or clonus. Therefore, the reflex hammer is the appropriate choice for this specific assessment.