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The purpose and importance of a physical assessment
Paper on physical assessment nursing
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The physical assessment is the first step of the nursing process. This is a detailed examination of the body from head to toe which involves observation/inspection, palpation, percussion, and auscultation. It is important to perform a series of tests and evaluations in order to create an accurate and effective plan of care for patients.
Assessing a client from a holistic point of view is important. This is a patient-centered approach, and it shows the client the care they are receiving is as an individual. Communication and active listening are the key components which can help patients to feel more deeply seen and understood. When we integrate a holistic approach other than just medical, it helps the patient reduce stress, produces better
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This way you will hear how the lungs sound with normal breathing. Now you take your stethoscope and place it over the right base of the lung on the back of the patient. Then you listen to the left base. Then the right middle lobe. Then the right upper lobe, and then the left upper lobe. All of this while the patient is taking normal breaths. All you want to do here is see if the lung sounds are equal on each side and if the air movement is normal, increased, or decreased. ( Respiratory Therapy Cave: Where to listen to lung sounds. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://respiratorytherapycave.blogspot.com/2010/10/where-to-listen-to-lung-sounds.html_br)
The Gastrointestinal assessment is also done using a stethoscope and palpation. First, palpate the abdomen to feel for distention, tenderness and also ask the client if they have any pain while palpating. Auscultate the bowel sounds using a stethoscope and place it on the right lower quadrant, and then right upper quadrant, and then left upper quadrant, and lastly, left lower quadrant.
Viewing inspects the Genital area. Genital Assessment: Male: Visually inspect the skin for lesions, discharge and cleanliness. Check bulges in the groin area. To inspect the testicles: gently palpate each testicle size, shape and consistency: two testicles in the scrotum, no nodules, swelling or
The ability to carry out and document a full respiratory and cardiovascular assessment is an essential skill. The severity of illness can be initially evaluated by inspection, palpation, percussion, and auscultation. During analysis, specific locations of symptoms can be identified using landmarks such as the midaxiallary, midclavicular, and, the midsternal line. Indicate anterior or posterior thorax, and use the midaxillary line location when applicable (Bickley & Szilagyi, 2013).
There are several important tests used by healthcare providers to determine whether an obstructive or restrictive lung disease is present. The term used to group these procedures is Pulmonary Function Tests, also called PFTs, and they do more than just determine the type of lung disease that may be present but can also provide answers as to where the problem is located as well. The term PFTs refers to a variation of different pulmonary testing that can be performed by healthcare professionals that help to give insight as to how well an individual's lungs are working. Some of these tests, such as spirometry and lung volumes provide this information by measuring airflow and lung capacity. Others such as diffusion capacity and the arterial blood
Communication plays a major role in preventing and resolving behavior problems and enhancing your patient’s quality of life by allowing them to feel, even when they no longer know or recognize those around them that they are in the midst of people who care about them and are concerned about their physical and emotional well being.
The nursing process is based upon five steps. The first step is the assessment phase; this can range from body system specific to head-to-toe assessment. These assessments are both subjective and objective and must be properly documented, organized and validated (Taylor et al, 2011). The second phase of the nursing process is formulating a diagnosis. The nurse identifies the patient’s needs and strengths from reviewing the previous assessments and determines what the nursing diagnosis should be. Then comes the planning phase where the nurse organizes the interventions by priority based upon the assessments and creates a plan for the patient to work on ...
...telephone booth (body plethysmograph) while breathing in and out into a mouthpiece. Changes in pressure inside the box help determine the lung volume.
First, visible obstructions in the airway of the mouth are removed by the hand. Then, the head is pivoted back by lifting the victims chin with one hand and using the other hand for the forehead. Once the airway is open, the victims breathing is checked. For approximately ten seconds, an individual must look, listen, and feel for any indication of chest rising, by placing an ear over the victim’s nose and mouth towards their chest. No more than ten seconds are needed to check for breathing because every second counts in life or death situations.
Protection of the technologist and myself during the examination was accomplished by standing behind a lead wall during the exposures. No repeats were necessary during this particular exam, and all the essential anatomy was demonstrated, however, there was a slight rotation of the patient’s body on the lateral image. Specific anatomy is vital for the PA projection and the lateral position in order to be considered a quality diagnostic image. This includes both lungs from the apices to the
In response to the performance on the weekly staff meeting this morning, I am submitting the following suggestions about how to improve effective listening for our employees. Because good listening skills have become increasingly important for the company to communicate with customers to show our dominance in the industry. Therefore, in order to keep the company working and communicating more effectively, we must improve our listening skills, here are five steps for employees to become better listeners. First, control external and internal distractions. Employees should move to an area where they can hear without conflicting noises or conversations.
Also make sure that equipment functions properly before using it. (i.e. making sure equipment that has bulbs and batteries operate if not replace the bulbs and batteries). Items that are typically used when conducting a physical examination: sphygmomanometer, stethoscope, thermometer, penlight, and otoscope/ophthalmoscope. Also nasal speculum, tongue depressor, skin marker, tape measure/ruler, reflex hammer, cotton balls, vaginal speculum, gloves, lubricant, eye chart, and drapes or gowns for client. There are four specific assessment techniques of a physical assessment, which are inspection, palpation, percussion, and auscultation.
The concept of person-centred healthcare has gained increasing popularity around the world. Reflective practices and self-awareness are considered to play a vital role in this respect so that the beliefs and values of the patients can be understood effectively (Devenny, & Duffy, 2014). Good communication is a key essential for any healthcare professional and it is mandatory for healthcare professionals who wish to provide patient-centred or women-centred care to their patients. Through means of better communication not only will the patients and healthcare professionals will be aware of each other’s requirements but it will also help in the wellbeing of the patient. This explanatory synthesis focuses on the importance associated with communication
One is to check the consciousness and the other is to perform respiratory test. The final stage is reaffirming pulse rate of the patient. Number of factors will be taken into consideration for this process such as communication, physical simulation, color testing (flushed, pale, jaundiced or bluish), skin temperature (clammy, hot or cold) and perspiration problems. For the purpose of accountability and recording the patient’s history, SAMPLE (Signs and symptoms, Allergies, Medications, Pertinent past medical history, Last oral intake, Events leading to injury/illness) history will be
This refers to more than being an absence of disease, as the assessment aims to understand not only a patient’s physical health, but their mental state and social well-being. Health assessment contains two major components of physical examination and health interview. Health interview, as a discussion between the nurse and patient, collects subjective data, which is any information that cannot be measured by the nurse. Such things can include family history, lifestyle, reason for seeking care, past health, personal concerns and pain levels. The physical examination component is an investigation of the subject using the four techniques of inspection, palpation, percussion and auscultation to assess the major systems of the patient’s body (Forbes
Listening is often times confused with hearing, when in fact, they are very different processes. Hearing is the physical process of perceiving sound; the listening process follows this perception. Many people believe that listening comes naturally to people, but it is actually an active process of creating meaning of other’s spoken messages. It is an often overlooked element of the communication process because of the amount of effort and skill that it requires to effectively listen (Brown, 2009). Listening is a necessary business communication tool as it is an active process that generates comprehension and development of a response.
Upon walking into a room, a nurse will begin to notice things about their patient; their hygiene, dry skin/hair, oily skin/hair, nourishment or lack thereof, etc. This process is known as assessment, which is the first step in the nursing process. During the assessment of a patient, nurses are able
A skill, according the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, is a learned power of doing something competently: a developed aptitude or ability. The skill of listening is a skill that I believe everyone should have but most people lack. Many people do not realize that listening is not merely the act of hearing a sound but of paying close attention to what someone is saying and trying to understand the message that they are trying to relate to you. Most times people say they are listening when in all actuality they are merely hearing you but not even attempting to understand what is being spoken of. The advantages of being a good listener are vast. This skill can positively affect many parts of our everyday life and interaction with people. Nevertheless, it is a skilled that is overlooked in today’s unmindful society. The reason I believe that listening is of such importance is because nowadays people have developed the mentality of “every man for himself.” People are not concerned about their fellows anymore. We are only concerned about our own issues and problems. Listening is a skill that is acquired throughout a lifetime. It is an important virtue when it comes to communication.People should be taught from childhood the importance of learning how to listen. If we realized how much we would benefit from being good listeners, I believe that things would change. Lack of listening skills affects marriages, parents and children, teachers and students, employers and employees, foreign affairs, and the list goes on.