The Nursing Physical Assessment

lOMoARcPSD|6536636




The Nursing Physical Assessment

Nursing (Gateway Community College, Phoenix)

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, lOMoARcPSD|6536636




The Nursing Physical Assessment
Health\Medical History- Provides guidance for care
• Includes subjective and objective data Nursing Health History

• Biographical Information
• Chief complaint/ reason for seeking care
• History of present illness
• Perception of health status
• Expectations for care
• Past medical history
• Family history
• Social history
• Medications
• Complementary therapies
• Review of systems
• Functional abilities

The Nursing Physical Assessment
• Used to gather data about the patient
• Focuses on functional abilities and responses to illness/stressors
 Purposes of Physical Assessment
• Identify collaborative problems
• Monitor the status of an identified problem
• Screen for health problems
• Evaluate nursing care

Types of Physical Assessments
1. Comprehensive
2. Focused
3. Ongoing
4. Emergency
Preparing for the Assessment

 Develop rapport
 Explain the procedure
 Respect cultural differences
 Use proper positioning and draping
 Promote comfort
 Provide privacy

 Limit noise
 Enable visualization

Integration of Assessment

 Integrate exam during routine nursing care
 Vital signs
 Bathing
 Range of motion