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Physical Exam and Health Assessment
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The Nursing Process Assess Diagnose Plan Implement Evaluate
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What is assessment? Systematic and continuous collection, analysis, validation, and communication of patient data Data gathered from Nursing history Other family members Physical exam Healthcare records Other healthcare providers
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Purposes of assessment
Enables nurse to make judgement about individual’s health status, need for nursing care, and ability to manage his or her own care Enables nurse to plan and deliver care based on individual’s strengths and needs; promotes optimal functioning and independence Enables nurse to refer patient to a physician or other health care provider if needed
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Substeps of assessment
Gather data Analyze data Validate data Communicate data
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Types of assessment Comprehensive (initial) assessment
Focused assessment Emergency assessment Time-lapsed assessment
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Nursing History Identifies patient’s health status, strengths, health problems and risks, and need for nursing care Profile Health habits Cultural considerations State of health, function, pain Past medical and surgical history Developmental history, family history, environmental hx Medications, allergies, immunizations Personal and family resources Advance directive
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Other sources of data Physician’s history and physical, progress notes
PT;OT;ST;RD progress notes Laboratory results Radiology results
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Models to organize data
Human needs (Maslow) Functional health patterns Human response pattern Body systems (Medical model) See box 11-2
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Validating data Validating is necessary to reduce error, bias, and misinterpretation Look for initial impressions Identify patterns Test first impressions Focus assessment
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Purposes of Physical Exam
Triage for emergency care Routine screenings for health promotion Health insurance, employment, or military eligibility Admission to hospital or long term care facility Baseline information about health status Support or refute subjective data Identify or confirm nursing diagnoses Help to make clinical decisions and changes in condition Evaluate outcome of care
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The Physical Exam Should be
Organized Systematic Based on information from the nursing history Documented as soon as possible Documented in the same order as performed
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Preparing for the physical assessment
Attend to infection control Attend to environment Gather necessary equipment Position or physically prepare patient Assess patient’s psychological readiness Assess patient’s age or developmental stage
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Techniques of Assessment
Inspection Palpation Percussion Auscultation Olfacation
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General Survey Appearance and behavior Height, weight Vital signs
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Body Systems/Areas to Assess
Integumentary Head and neck Respiratory Cardiac and peripheral vasculature Breasts Abdomen/GI system GU system Musculoskeletal System Neurological System
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Integumentary System Inspect skin for rashes, lesions, thickness, breaks in skin integrity, ulcers, abrasions Color consistent with ethnicity Cyanosis, jaundice Hair growth pattern, check for lice
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Integumentary system Skin turgor Moisture, tempurature
Vascularity – petichiae, edema Nails-cleanliness, brittleness, cyanosis, “clubbing”
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Head and Neck Inspect for symmetry, proportions and contour of skull
Assess visual fields, extraocular movement, visual acuity PERRLA Assess external ears for drainage, redness Hearing acuity Use inverted otoscope grip to assess ear canal and tympanic membrane Pull auricle up and back for adult, down and back for child
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Otoscope grip
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Head and Neck Assess external nose for drainage, asymmetry, iritation
Palpate for tenderness, obstructed air flow Palpate sinuses Inspect oral cavity Gums, teeth, tongue, lips … inspect for color, lesions
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Head and Neck Inspect neck muscles for symmetry
Palpate lymph nodes cervical and posterior Inspect trachea for midline position Assess carotid pulses gently one at a time
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Respiratory Inspect chest wall expansion for symmetry
Auscultate lung fields Three lobes on right, two lobes on left Do not auscultate over bone Observe breathing pattern, orthopnea, use of accessory muscles Palpate for masses, tenderness, movement of chest expansion Fremitus
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Stethoscope placement
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Respiratory Bronchial Bronchovesicular Vesicular sounds
Adventitions sounds crackles rhonchi wheezes pleural friction rub Abnormal sounds
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Cardiac Inspect and palpate… assess for pulsations
Ausculatate at all anatomical landmarks Auscultate at PMI (apical pulse) Lub/dub= s1, s2 Murmurs, gallops, clicks, rubs
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Anatomical landmarks for cardiac assessment
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Cardiac Assess vascular system Jugular veins distend when pt is supine
Assess strength and equality of brachial, radial, femoral, popliteal, dorsalis pedis pulses Inspect periphery for cyanosis, pallor Capillary refill Inspect for varicosities Edema
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Breasts Inspect for skin puckering, scaling, dimpling
Inspect for discharge from nipples Observe for symmetry Palpate For lumps, tenderness Patient should lie with arm abducted and hand under head to flatten tissue
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Abdomen/GI system Inspect for contour, splinting, symmetry
Auscultate all four quadrants listen up to 5 minutes if bowel sounds not heard gurgling or clicking sounds normal “silent belly” uncommon Palpate for tenderness, masses, organomegaly, organ borders Enquire about last BM
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Abdominal/GI We inspect, auscultate, then palpate. Why this order?
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Genitourinary System Inspect outer genitalia and perineum for drainage, irritation, trauma. Internal genital exams are provided by advanced practitioners Ask about last menstrual period Keep rest of client covered and maintain professionalism and privacy Provide appropriate equipment, positioning, tables for reproductive exam Observe and document amount, color, clarity of urine Bladder scan when necessary
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Musculoskeletal System
Observe gait, note missing limbs or extremities Inspect for symmetry and proportion Kyphosis, scoliosis, lordosis Palpate joints for heat, tenderness, swelling Passive and active range of motion measurement Muscle tone and strength (push/pull)
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Musculoskeletal table 33-33
Flexion Extension Hyperextension Pronation Supination Abduction Internal rotation External rotation Eversion Inversion Dorsiflexion Plantar flexion
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Neurological Level of conciousness
Orientation x 4 person place time situation Glascow coma scale table 33-37 Language
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Neurological Intellectual functioning Memory Knowledge
Abstract thinking Judgement
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Neurological Cranial nerves I-XIII
On Old Olympus’ Towering Tops, a Finn and German Viewed Some Hops Table 33-38
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Neurological Motor function: balance, coordination
Reflexes tapping tendon with reflex hammer Sensory nerves
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