Andrea Sperr
Health assessment chpt 3 study guide
STUDY GUIDE after completing the reading assignment, you should be able to
answer the following questions in the spaces provided:
1. List 8 items of information that should be communicated to the client
concerning the terms or expectations of the interview. Time and place of the
interview and succeeding physical examination, introduction of yourself and a brief
explanation of your role, purpose of interview, how long it should take, participation of
each person, presence of any other staff and their role, confidentiality and limitations,
any costs that will accrue to the patient
2. Describe the points to consider in preparing the physical setting for the
interview. A nurse wants to make sure that the room is a comfortable temperature,
there is sufficient lighting to see clearly but not harsh so that the patient or the nurse
has to squint, a secure and quiet environment, remove any distracting objects that
aren’t necessary, place distance between you and the patient 4-5 feet and try to angle
in 90 degrees
3. List the pros and cons of note-taking during the interview. Pros: are that if its
going directly in the chart there is nothing to remember later to make sure that you
include, also to help remember when you need to adjust something for the patient.
Cons: are that it breaks eye contact with the patient too much, shifts attention away, it
impedes observation of the natural behavior, could seem threatening during sensitive
issues
4. Contrast open-ended versus closed questions, and explain the purpose of
each during the interview. Open ended questions means asking the patient for a
narrative “what brings you in today?” This is good but should only be used for general
terms. When more specific information is needed is when closed or direct questions
should be asked. The negative about direct questions are that you should only as one at
a time as not to overwhelm the patient. Pace the questions so that the patient doesn’t
also get intimidated as well
5. List the 9 types of examiner responses that could be used during the
interview, and give a short example of each. Facilitation/general cues- nodding
yes, going “mhmm”, Silence- waiting for a response, counting in your head 1-10,
reflection- mirroring words for the patient to elaborate on, Empathy- names feeling for
expression, Clarification- repeating the statement to the patient for them to confirm,
confrontation- stating to the patient “you look sad”, interpretation- “could it be that you
are afraid of the outcome” when the patient tells you what they think is going on, state
your interpretation of the data that they provided for you, Explanation: explaining to the
patient in detail, summary- review pertinent information and facts that was provided to
you
6. List the 10 traps of interviewing and give a short example of each. The 10
traps of interviewing are as follows:1- Providing false assurance or reassurance, this
would be if the patient were to say to you that they think something bad is about to
happen and your response would be “no everything is going to be okay, don’t worry. 2-
,Giving unwanted advice- this would be if the patient told you something and your
response was “well if I was you I would do ….” They aren’t looking for that they are
there for professional advice. 3-Using authority- this would be stating to the patient that
“your doctor/nurse knows best, do as they say” this could come off as intimidating and
that you think the patient is incompetent of making good choices for themselves. 4-
Using avoidance language, a lot of times this happens when there is a death to the
family by saying “they are no longer with us” instead of stating that the loved one is
dead, when it is stated directly the person is not able to avoid and must deal with the
reality. 5- distancing- say the patient needs their left leg amputated by saying “There is
a sore on your left leg needing amputation” instead of there is a sore on the left leg that
is requiring amputation the patient is able to not own that it is their leg/whatever the
issue may be. 6- Using professional jargon- most medical talk is only understood by
those with a medical background/degree. By using this to a patient with no prior
understanding the nurse becomes intimidating and may cause the patient to
misunderstand what it is that you are trying to tell them. 7- Using leading or biased
questions- this is when during the assessment you would state to the patient “you don’t
have unprotected sex do you? Doing that usually implies to the patient that one answer
is better and they are less likely to tell you the truth about the matter. 8- Talking too
much, if the nurse/interviewer is constantly talking and not leaving room for the patient
to talk this could potentially make them leave thinking they did great but with the
patient feeling like they did not get a chance to talk about said issues. 9- Interrupting- if
the nurse thinks that they know what the patient is going to say next and just interrupts
and says it before the patient gets a chance to finish it, if the nurse is too focused on
what they think that the patient is going to say they will miss out on what the patient is
actually saying as well. 10- Using “why” comments- an example of this would be stating
“well why did you wait so long to come into the hospital”
7. State at least 7 types of nonverbal behaviors that an interviewer could
make. Seven different types of nonverbal behaviors that an interviewer could make
are: physical appearance, posture, gestures, facial expression, eye contact, voice, and
touch
8. State a useful phrase to use as a closing when ending the interview. A useful
phrase when wrapping up is “before we finish up is there anything else that you would
like to mention?”
9. Discuss special considerations when interviewing an older adult. Special
considerations would be if they are hard of hearing, that their processing time for what
you are saying to them is slower so they may need more time to respond. A nurse would
want to be careful on how they address them so they don’t disrespect the patient and to
pace the interview appropriately
10. How you would modify your interviewing technique when working with a
hearing-impaired person? Make sure that you talk slow and at a good volume, but
not in a way that would make them think that you are questioning their intelligence, if
they are completely deaf you would need a sign language interpreter or if they are able
to write they can fill out forms for the majority of the information
11. Formulate a response you would make to a client who has spoken in a
sexually aggressive way. “I am uncomfortable with the way that you are talking to
me; please don’t speak to me that way.”
, 12. List at least 5 points to consider when using an interpreter during an
interview. Make sure that you are getting the correct language, when it is possible use
a trained interpreter – using a family member as an interpreter could skew the answers,
be aware of gender differences that may be present in that culture, be aware of age
difference in the interpreter depending on the patient they could see an older
interpreter as more experienced, and to be aware of socioeconomic differences between
the patient and the interpreter
REVIEW QUESTIONS This test is for you to check your own mastery of the content.
Answers are provided in Appendix A.
1. The practitioner, entering the examining room to meet a patient for the first time,
states: “Hello, I’m M.M., and I’m here to gather some information from you and to
perform your examination. This will take about 30 minutes. D.D. is a student working
with me. If it’s all right with you, she will remain during the examination.” Which of the
following must be added to cover all aspects of the interview contract?
a. A statement regarding confidentiality, patient costs, and the expectations of each
person b. The purpose of the interview and the role of the interviewer c. Time and place
of the interview and a confidentiality statement d. An explicit purpose of the interview
and a description of the physical examination, including diagnostic studies
2. ______________is exhibiting an accurate understanding of the other person’s feelings
within a communication context. a. Empathy b. Liking others c. Facilitation d. A
nonverbal listening technique
3. You conduct an admission interview. Because you are expecting a phone call, you
stand near the door. Which would be a more appropriate approach? a. Arrange to have
someone page you so you can sit on the side of the bed. b. Have someone else answer
the phone so you can sit facing the patient. c. Use this approach given the
circumstances. d. Arrange for a time free of interruptions after the initial physical
examination is complete. 4. A patient asks the nurse, “May I ask you a question?” This is
an example of: a. an open-ended question b. A reflective question c. A closed question
d. A double-barreled question
5. Which statement best describes interpretation as a communication technique? a.
Interpretation is the same as clarification. b. Interpretation is a summary of a statement
made by a patient. c. Interpretation is used to focus on a particular aspect of what the
patient has just said. d. Interpretation is based on the interviewer’s inference from the
data that have been presented.
6. Which demonstrates a good understanding of the interview process? a. The nurse
stops the patient each time something is said that is not understood. b. The nurse
spends more time listening to the patient than talking. c. The nurse is consistently
thinking of his or her next response so the patient will know he or she is understood. d.
The nurse uses “why” questions to seek clarification of unusual symptoms or behavior.
7. During an interview, a patient denies having any anxiety. The patient frequently
changes position in the chair, holds his arms folded tight against his chest, and has little
eye contact with the interviewer. The interviewer should: a. Use confrontation to bring
the discrepancy between verbal and nonverbal behavior to the patient’s attention. b.
Proceed with the interview. Patients usually are truthful with a health care practitioner.
Health assessment chpt 3 study guide
STUDY GUIDE after completing the reading assignment, you should be able to
answer the following questions in the spaces provided:
1. List 8 items of information that should be communicated to the client
concerning the terms or expectations of the interview. Time and place of the
interview and succeeding physical examination, introduction of yourself and a brief
explanation of your role, purpose of interview, how long it should take, participation of
each person, presence of any other staff and their role, confidentiality and limitations,
any costs that will accrue to the patient
2. Describe the points to consider in preparing the physical setting for the
interview. A nurse wants to make sure that the room is a comfortable temperature,
there is sufficient lighting to see clearly but not harsh so that the patient or the nurse
has to squint, a secure and quiet environment, remove any distracting objects that
aren’t necessary, place distance between you and the patient 4-5 feet and try to angle
in 90 degrees
3. List the pros and cons of note-taking during the interview. Pros: are that if its
going directly in the chart there is nothing to remember later to make sure that you
include, also to help remember when you need to adjust something for the patient.
Cons: are that it breaks eye contact with the patient too much, shifts attention away, it
impedes observation of the natural behavior, could seem threatening during sensitive
issues
4. Contrast open-ended versus closed questions, and explain the purpose of
each during the interview. Open ended questions means asking the patient for a
narrative “what brings you in today?” This is good but should only be used for general
terms. When more specific information is needed is when closed or direct questions
should be asked. The negative about direct questions are that you should only as one at
a time as not to overwhelm the patient. Pace the questions so that the patient doesn’t
also get intimidated as well
5. List the 9 types of examiner responses that could be used during the
interview, and give a short example of each. Facilitation/general cues- nodding
yes, going “mhmm”, Silence- waiting for a response, counting in your head 1-10,
reflection- mirroring words for the patient to elaborate on, Empathy- names feeling for
expression, Clarification- repeating the statement to the patient for them to confirm,
confrontation- stating to the patient “you look sad”, interpretation- “could it be that you
are afraid of the outcome” when the patient tells you what they think is going on, state
your interpretation of the data that they provided for you, Explanation: explaining to the
patient in detail, summary- review pertinent information and facts that was provided to
you
6. List the 10 traps of interviewing and give a short example of each. The 10
traps of interviewing are as follows:1- Providing false assurance or reassurance, this
would be if the patient were to say to you that they think something bad is about to
happen and your response would be “no everything is going to be okay, don’t worry. 2-
,Giving unwanted advice- this would be if the patient told you something and your
response was “well if I was you I would do ….” They aren’t looking for that they are
there for professional advice. 3-Using authority- this would be stating to the patient that
“your doctor/nurse knows best, do as they say” this could come off as intimidating and
that you think the patient is incompetent of making good choices for themselves. 4-
Using avoidance language, a lot of times this happens when there is a death to the
family by saying “they are no longer with us” instead of stating that the loved one is
dead, when it is stated directly the person is not able to avoid and must deal with the
reality. 5- distancing- say the patient needs their left leg amputated by saying “There is
a sore on your left leg needing amputation” instead of there is a sore on the left leg that
is requiring amputation the patient is able to not own that it is their leg/whatever the
issue may be. 6- Using professional jargon- most medical talk is only understood by
those with a medical background/degree. By using this to a patient with no prior
understanding the nurse becomes intimidating and may cause the patient to
misunderstand what it is that you are trying to tell them. 7- Using leading or biased
questions- this is when during the assessment you would state to the patient “you don’t
have unprotected sex do you? Doing that usually implies to the patient that one answer
is better and they are less likely to tell you the truth about the matter. 8- Talking too
much, if the nurse/interviewer is constantly talking and not leaving room for the patient
to talk this could potentially make them leave thinking they did great but with the
patient feeling like they did not get a chance to talk about said issues. 9- Interrupting- if
the nurse thinks that they know what the patient is going to say next and just interrupts
and says it before the patient gets a chance to finish it, if the nurse is too focused on
what they think that the patient is going to say they will miss out on what the patient is
actually saying as well. 10- Using “why” comments- an example of this would be stating
“well why did you wait so long to come into the hospital”
7. State at least 7 types of nonverbal behaviors that an interviewer could
make. Seven different types of nonverbal behaviors that an interviewer could make
are: physical appearance, posture, gestures, facial expression, eye contact, voice, and
touch
8. State a useful phrase to use as a closing when ending the interview. A useful
phrase when wrapping up is “before we finish up is there anything else that you would
like to mention?”
9. Discuss special considerations when interviewing an older adult. Special
considerations would be if they are hard of hearing, that their processing time for what
you are saying to them is slower so they may need more time to respond. A nurse would
want to be careful on how they address them so they don’t disrespect the patient and to
pace the interview appropriately
10. How you would modify your interviewing technique when working with a
hearing-impaired person? Make sure that you talk slow and at a good volume, but
not in a way that would make them think that you are questioning their intelligence, if
they are completely deaf you would need a sign language interpreter or if they are able
to write they can fill out forms for the majority of the information
11. Formulate a response you would make to a client who has spoken in a
sexually aggressive way. “I am uncomfortable with the way that you are talking to
me; please don’t speak to me that way.”
, 12. List at least 5 points to consider when using an interpreter during an
interview. Make sure that you are getting the correct language, when it is possible use
a trained interpreter – using a family member as an interpreter could skew the answers,
be aware of gender differences that may be present in that culture, be aware of age
difference in the interpreter depending on the patient they could see an older
interpreter as more experienced, and to be aware of socioeconomic differences between
the patient and the interpreter
REVIEW QUESTIONS This test is for you to check your own mastery of the content.
Answers are provided in Appendix A.
1. The practitioner, entering the examining room to meet a patient for the first time,
states: “Hello, I’m M.M., and I’m here to gather some information from you and to
perform your examination. This will take about 30 minutes. D.D. is a student working
with me. If it’s all right with you, she will remain during the examination.” Which of the
following must be added to cover all aspects of the interview contract?
a. A statement regarding confidentiality, patient costs, and the expectations of each
person b. The purpose of the interview and the role of the interviewer c. Time and place
of the interview and a confidentiality statement d. An explicit purpose of the interview
and a description of the physical examination, including diagnostic studies
2. ______________is exhibiting an accurate understanding of the other person’s feelings
within a communication context. a. Empathy b. Liking others c. Facilitation d. A
nonverbal listening technique
3. You conduct an admission interview. Because you are expecting a phone call, you
stand near the door. Which would be a more appropriate approach? a. Arrange to have
someone page you so you can sit on the side of the bed. b. Have someone else answer
the phone so you can sit facing the patient. c. Use this approach given the
circumstances. d. Arrange for a time free of interruptions after the initial physical
examination is complete. 4. A patient asks the nurse, “May I ask you a question?” This is
an example of: a. an open-ended question b. A reflective question c. A closed question
d. A double-barreled question
5. Which statement best describes interpretation as a communication technique? a.
Interpretation is the same as clarification. b. Interpretation is a summary of a statement
made by a patient. c. Interpretation is used to focus on a particular aspect of what the
patient has just said. d. Interpretation is based on the interviewer’s inference from the
data that have been presented.
6. Which demonstrates a good understanding of the interview process? a. The nurse
stops the patient each time something is said that is not understood. b. The nurse
spends more time listening to the patient than talking. c. The nurse is consistently
thinking of his or her next response so the patient will know he or she is understood. d.
The nurse uses “why” questions to seek clarification of unusual symptoms or behavior.
7. During an interview, a patient denies having any anxiety. The patient frequently
changes position in the chair, holds his arms folded tight against his chest, and has little
eye contact with the interviewer. The interviewer should: a. Use confrontation to bring
the discrepancy between verbal and nonverbal behavior to the patient’s attention. b.
Proceed with the interview. Patients usually are truthful with a health care practitioner.
