BATES NURSING GUIDE TO PHYSICAL
EXAMINATION AND HISTORY TAKING
CONCEPT REVIEW GUIDE 2026 PATIENT
ASSESSMENT AND DIAGNOSTIC REASONING
◉ Subjective Data. Answer: Information provided by the person
during history taking
◉ Data Base. Answer: Combination of patient's record, laboratory
studies, objective, and subjective data
◉ Validation of Data. Answer: Ensuring accuracy by confirming
uncertain information
◉ Novice Nurses. Answer: New graduate nurses lacking experience,
rely on structured rules
◉ Intuition. Answer: Expert nurses act based on pattern recognition
without conscious labeling
◉ Evidence-Based Practice (EBP). Answer: Systematic approach
using best evidence, clinician's experience, patient preferences
, ◉ First-Level Priority Problem. Answer: Example: Patient with
postoperative pain
◉ Diagnostic Reasoning. Answer: Expert nurses' ability to analyze
assessment data patterns
◉ Clinical Knowledge. Answer: Expert nurses' ability to act based on
assessment data without conscious labeling
◉ First-level priority problems. Answer: Emergent, life-threatening,
immediate issues (e.g., establishing an airway)
◉ Second-level priority problems. Answer: Require prompt
intervention to prevent deterioration (e.g., mental status change)
◉ Clustering related cues. Answer: Critical thinking skill to see
relationships among data
◉ Nursing diagnosis. Answer: Basis for selecting nursing
interventions
◉ Nursing process. Answer: Sequential problem-solving method:
assessment, diagnosis, outcome identification, planning,
implementation, evaluation
EXAMINATION AND HISTORY TAKING
CONCEPT REVIEW GUIDE 2026 PATIENT
ASSESSMENT AND DIAGNOSTIC REASONING
◉ Subjective Data. Answer: Information provided by the person
during history taking
◉ Data Base. Answer: Combination of patient's record, laboratory
studies, objective, and subjective data
◉ Validation of Data. Answer: Ensuring accuracy by confirming
uncertain information
◉ Novice Nurses. Answer: New graduate nurses lacking experience,
rely on structured rules
◉ Intuition. Answer: Expert nurses act based on pattern recognition
without conscious labeling
◉ Evidence-Based Practice (EBP). Answer: Systematic approach
using best evidence, clinician's experience, patient preferences
, ◉ First-Level Priority Problem. Answer: Example: Patient with
postoperative pain
◉ Diagnostic Reasoning. Answer: Expert nurses' ability to analyze
assessment data patterns
◉ Clinical Knowledge. Answer: Expert nurses' ability to act based on
assessment data without conscious labeling
◉ First-level priority problems. Answer: Emergent, life-threatening,
immediate issues (e.g., establishing an airway)
◉ Second-level priority problems. Answer: Require prompt
intervention to prevent deterioration (e.g., mental status change)
◉ Clustering related cues. Answer: Critical thinking skill to see
relationships among data
◉ Nursing diagnosis. Answer: Basis for selecting nursing
interventions
◉ Nursing process. Answer: Sequential problem-solving method:
assessment, diagnosis, outcome identification, planning,
implementation, evaluation
