Exam 2 Flashcards
What is the purpose of health assessment?
first phase of nursing process, systemic gather of subjective and objective data, ID health problems, form nursing dx, PRIMARY FUNCTION OF A RN.
What is subjective data (health history)?
info that is stated/experienced, known by patient (or fam), time to focus on comm skills!
What is objective data (physical assessment)?
info that is directly observed, signs and symptoms/clinical manifestations (that support nursing dx), determined by examination techniques
What are the five types of data gathered w/ health assessment?
Physical (what can be seen), psychological (pt’s awareness, consciousness, behavior, appearance, memory, abstract reasoning, language), developmental (app. age milestones), social (interactions w/ others), spiritual (religious beliefs)
What are the three types of assessment?
comprehensive, focused, and emergency
What does a comprehensive assessment consist of?
health history and complete physical exam. done annually (outpatient basis), following admission to hospital, long term facility, (every 8 hours if in ICU). It provides BASELINE for comparing later assessments.
When and how is a focus assessment performed?
when there’s a specific problem, occurs in all settings, usually involves one or two body systems.
What is an emergency assessment?
done in ambulance, ER, rapid and conducted to determine potentially fatal situations. ABC=AIRWAY, BREATHING, CIRCULATION
What is a head-to-toe assessment and how do you perform them on children?
Collect data from body parts from head to toe. A head-to-toe assessment on children are performed from least invasive to most invasive.
How do you prepare the client for a head-to-toe assessment?
Explain, remain sensitive to needs, use general terminology understandable for patient.
How do you prepare the equipment for a head-to-toe assessment?
Room should be adequately lit, warm, quiet, comfortable, private. prep exam table. have gown and sheet ready for pt. ensure all equipment works properly.
What are the developmental considerations about assessing infants?
explain assessment to caregiver, perform most invasive last.
What are the developmental considerations about assessing toddlers?
explain most things to child and all to caregiver; allow child to handle instruments; least invasive to most.
What are the developmental considerations about assessing preschool-aged children?
allow child to decide order of exam; explain instruments and let child try them; speak to caregiver before and after exam.
What are the developmental considerations about assessing school-aged children?
include child in all parts of the exam; head to toe approach; speak to caregiver before and after exam
What are the developmental considerations about assessing teens?
use mature language, appeal to his/her desire for care; explain confidentiality; allow time for talking separate from parents.
What does a health history involve?
client is primary source for subjective data. nurses should practice therapeutic communication skills and interviewing techniques and be sensitive to cultural differences.
What are the components of the health history?
biographical data, reason for seeking healthcare, history of present health concern, medical history (surgeries, chronic illnesses), family med history, lifestyle. Peds includes assessment of developmental level/functional level.
What is a stethoscope used to auscultate and what are the differences in the diaphragms?
used for heart, lungs, abdomen. large diaphragm used for high pitched sounds (most bodily sounds), small diaphragm used for low pitched sounds (heart murmurs).
What are ophthalmoscopes and otoscopes?
Ophthalmoscopes=handheld system of lights, lenses and mirrors used for inspecting interior structures of the eye. otoscope=used for inspecting ear canal and tympanic membrane
When is a Snellen chart used?
screening for distant vision. (basic eye chart)
What are the four techniques used during assessment?
Inspection=looking, palpation=feeling, percussion=tapping, auscultation=listening.
How is inspection performed?
begins w/ initial patient contact and continues through the entire assessment using vision, hearing, smell on every body part and system. looking at size, color, shape, position symmetry.
What is palpation used to assess?
uses fingers and palms to palpate shape, size, consistency, surface, mobility, tenderness, pulse of areas on the body
When is percussion used during an assessment?
Not usually by RNs. used to assess location, shape, size, density of tissues (ex. tumor). quiet=dense tissue (bones). loud=air (lungs and stomach)
When is auscultations used during an assessment?
to listen to movements of organs and tissues. blood pressure, lungs, heart, abdomen.
What is a general survey of a patient during an assessment?
summary of nurse’s impression of the client’s overall state of health of organs and tissues by assessing physical appearance, body structure, mobility, behavior, vital signs.
How is the integumentary system assessed?
skin, nails, hair are inspected and palpated for color, temp, texture, turgor, skin lesions (bruises, scratches, cuts, insect bites, blisters, freckles, wounds)
What are the words used to describe skin conditions?
normal, erythema=redness, cyanosis=bluish, jaundice=yellow, pallor=paleness, ecchymosis=purplish (bruising), petechiae=red spots (broken tiny blood vessels)
How do you know if a patient has edema?
in extremities, measure circumference and compare, palpate w/ fingers, indentation may remain. noticeable swelling, taut and shiny skin over edema. graded 0=none; +1=trace, 2mm; +2=moderate, 4mm; +3=deep, 6mm; +4=very deep
What is a Braden Score used to measure?
pressure ulcer risk, level of RN/LPN responsibility, >23=no risk, 15-18=low risk, 13-14=moderate high risk, 10-12=high risk, <9=very high risk.
What areas are assessed for a Braden Score?
sensory perception, moisture, activity, mobility (self position change), nutrition, friction & shear (moving/sliding skin)
What are normal age-related variations found during integumentary assessments of infants?
jaundice, milia (whiteheads) in newborns, fine downy hair (lanugo) for the first 2 weeks of life, smooth, thin skin at birth.
What are normal age-related variations found during integumentary assessments of older adults?
dryness, scaling, decreased turgor, raised dark areas (senile keratosis), flat brown age spots (senile lentigines), small round red spots (cherry angioma), hair loss, decreased body hair, facial hair on women.
What is inspected on the head and neck?
color, symmtery. eyes for PERRLA= Pupils are Equal, Round, Reactive to Light and Accommodates (finger moving). mucous membranes of eyes, nose, mouth are pink and moist.
What are some age-related variations seen in older adults during a head and neck assessment?
impaired near vision (presbyopia), decreased color and peripheral vision, decreased adaptation to light and dark, a white ring around the cornea (arcs senilis), entropion (inward turning of lower eyelid), ectropion (outward turning of lower eyelid), hearing loss (presbycusis)
How is the respiratory system assessed?
respiratory effort=rate and pattern (12-20/min), character of breathing (diaphragmatic, abdominal, thoracic), use of accessory muscles, depth of respirations (unlabored quiet breathing)
How are lung sounds auscultated?
Detect airflow with respiratory tract, have pt breathe in slowly and deeply through the mouth. use stetho to listen to five areas anteriorly and nine areas posteriorly.
What are normal breath sounds?
Bronchial=loud, high-pitched, expiration heard longer than inspiration over trachea.
Bronchovesicular=medium pitch and intensity, equal inspiration and expiration, and heard over larger airways.
Vesicular=soft, low-pitched, base of lungs during inspiration, longer than expiration.
What are adventitious sounds?
wheezes= continuous high-pitched sound on expiration, cause by secretions, swelling, or tumors, musical in tone.
pleural friction rub= a continuous grating sound caused by an inflamed pleura rubbing against the chest wall.
crackles=fine to coarse crackling sounds made as air moves through wet secretions. bubbling, popping on inspiration, coarse crackles=rhonchi
stertorous breathing=noisy, strenuous respirations.
What are age-related variations found in infants/children during a thorax and lung assessment?
Louder breath sounds
more rapid RR=20-40 bpm (until 8-10)
use of abdominal muscles during respiration
What are age-related variations found in older adults during a thorax and lung assessment?
Increased anteroposterior chest diameter
increase in the dorsal spine curve (kyphosis)
decreased thoracic expansion
use of accessory muscles to exhale
How is the circulatory system assessed?
includes heart & extremities
IDs activities of daily living and health behaviors that may increase risk of disease: lack of exercise, high fats and salt diet, smoking.
What are the areas for palpating pulse?
Aortic=right of sternum at 2nd intercostal space
Pulmonic=just left of sternum at 2nd ICS
Erb’s Point =just left of sternum at 3rd ICS
Tricuspid=just left of the sternum at the 4th ICS
Apical/Mitral=left midclavicular line at 5th ICS
What are the heart sounds heard during assessment of neck and precordium?
S1 (lub)=closure of the mitral and tricuspid valves, beginning of ventricular systole (contraction)
S2 (dub)=closure of the aortic and pulmonic valves, beginning ventricular diastole (relaxation)
How is circulation of the extremities assessed?
inspection for color, temperature, continuity, lesions, venous patterns, edema. palpation for cap refill: normal=brisk return 2-4s. palpate pulses:carotid, radial, brachial, femoral, popliteal, dorsalis pedis, posterior tibial. check for symmetry.
Measure amplitude of pulse 0 (absent), 1+ (weak), 2 + (normal), 3+ (increased), 4+ (bounding)
What are age-related variations seen in infants/children during a circulatory assessment?
visible pulsation if chest wall is thin
sinus disrhytmia
presence of S3 (1/3 of children)
more rapid heart rate
What are age-related variations seen in older adults during a circulatory assessment?
difficult-to-palpate apical pulse difficult-to-palpate distal arteries dilated proximal arteries more tortuous blood vessels increased blood pressure
How is the abdomen area assessed?
Includes stomach, small intestine, liver, gallbladder, pancreas, spleen, urinary bladder.
LUQ, RUQ, LLQ, RLQ
Inspect, auscultate, palpate.
What do you note from assessment of the abdomen area?
skin color, surface.
bowel sounds: Normal=clicks & gurgles every 5-34 sec
hyperactive, hypoactive, absent
soft, relaxed, free of tenderness
What are some age-related variations seen in infants and children during abdomen assessment?
“pot-belly”=<5yo
visible peristaltic waves
easily palpated liver and spleen
What are some age-related variations seen in older adults during abdomen assessment?
decreased bowel sounds
decreased abdominal tone
liver border palpated more easily
How is the musculoskeletal system assessed?
includes: bones, muscles, cartilage, ligaments, tendons, and joints
subjective data: pain, stiffness, ability to move
exercise patterns
posture, gait, bone size, structure, ROM, muscle strength
alignment, symmetry
What are age-related variations seen in infants and children during the musculoskeletal system assessment?
C-shaped curve of spine at birth
Lordosis (exaggerated lumbar curve)
Pronation of the feet between 12 and 18 months
What are age-related variations seen in older adults during the musculoskeletal system assessment?
Loss of muscle mass and strength decreased range of motion kyphosis (an exaggerated thoracic curve) decreased height osteoarthritic changes in joints
What data is collected from a neurological assessment?
subjective data=dizziness, loss of sensation, headaches, ability to see, hear, taste and detect sensations
objective data=mental status, level of consciousness, cranial nerve function, muscle strength, coordination, reflexes
How is mental status determined?
awareness=orientation to time, place, and person
consciousness=degree of wakefulness (Glasgow Coma scale=eye opening, motor response, verbal response, <7=coma)
Memory, abstract reasoning, language (expressive aphasia=cannot write or speak, receptive aphasia=cannot understand written or spoken words
What is the Confusion Assessment Method?
Assesses delirium when there is an acute change in mental status from patient’s baseline, abnormal behavior fluctuating during the day, tends to come and go or increase or decrease in severity, difficulty focusing attention
What is a Fulmer SPICES assessment?
Usually given to elderly hospitalized patients to recognize marker conditions:
Sleep disorders
Problems w/ eating, feeding
Incontinence
Confusion (knows where they are? dementia?)
Evidence of falls
Skin breakdown (Braden pressure ulcer risk assessment)