General Survey Flashcards
- begins with the opening moments of the patient ecounter.
- “First impression” of your patient
General Survey
- Is the patient acutely or chronically ill?
- Is the patient frail?
- Is the patient fit or robust?
- Is the patient overweight or underweight?
Apparent State of Health
- Is the patient awake, alert, and responsive to you and others in the environment?
- Is the patient drowsy, lethargic or stuporous?
- Is the patient unconscious?
Level of Consciousness
- Is there clutching of the chest?
- Is there pallor? Cyanosis? Diaphoresis?
- Is there labored breathing, wheezing, or coughing?
Cardiac or Respiratory Distress
Is there wincing, diaphoresis, protectiveness of a painful area, grimacing, or unusual posture favoring one limb or region of the body
Pain
Are there any anxious facial expressions, fidgety movements, cold moist palms, inexpressive or flat affect, poor eye contact, or psychomotor slowing?
Anxiety or Depression
drooping of the eyelid
Ptosis
Ptosis – drooping of the eyelid
* May suggest an underlying neurological disorder
* Example:
Bell’s Palsy, Myasthenia gravis
May indicate a transient ischemic attack or stroke
Drooping on one side of the face
Bulging or protruding eyebals
Exophthalmos
Exophthalmos may suggest
hyperthyroidism
pale complexion or unusual lightness of skin color; may
indicate anemia, malnutrition, vitamin deficiency
Pallor
bluish discoloration of the skin or mucous membrane;
may indicate poor oxygenation
Cyanosis
yellowish discoloration of the skin or mucous membranes; may suggest an underlying hepatobiliary tract
disease
Jaundice
medical term for a mole; a common benign skin lesion
but some may be malignant
Nevus
