Health & Physical Assessment Flashcards
Review basic assessment techniques and findings for all the systems.
Who spends the most time with the client, knows the most about the client, and is able to communicate the client’s needs to the rest of the health care team the most effectively?
The nurse
What are the 3 areas of assessment the nurse focuses on in order to get a complete picture of the client?
- Body: assess the physical systems
- Mind: assess mental health
- Spirit: assess for religious or spiritual beliefs
What is the ADPIE nursing process?
- Assess: gather data
- Diagnosis: client problems that are based on medical diagnosis
- Plan: goals
- Implement: interventions
- Evaluate: how the client responded to the intervention
The nursing process is not linear. The nurse will jump back and forth between the steps depending on additional data acquired about the client.
What are nursing clinical judgment skills?
- interpreting sign and symptom data
- prioritizing what is important
- generating solutions by making a plan
- understanding WHY an intervention is done
- gathering more information if there is not enough to make an informed decision
- evaluating if inteventions or teaching was effective
What is a clinical pathway or care plan?
A plan that the healthcare team agrees to for guiding client care and is based on evidence based practice (EBP).
When does teaching and discharge planning by the nurse begin with a client?
During the assessment even while the client is being admitted
During the admission, assessment data is gathered by the nurse such as home environment and available resources so that teaching can begin right away, if there are needs.
How should you identify a client before giving meds, doing a procedure, or performing an assessment?
By using 2 client indentifiers:
1. name and
2. date of birth, social security number, phone number or address
Name and date of birth is most typically used.
What are the two purposes of doing a nursing assessment on a client?
- gather data (especially abnormal data) about the client to heal the client or prevent them from getting sick.
- notify the health care provider (HCP) of immediate complications or changes in the client’s condition in order to update the care plan.
The HCP can be a doctor, nurse practitioner or physician assistant.
What is the typical assessment order for most body systems?
- inspect
- palpate
- percuss
- auscultate
What is the difference between a focused health assessment and a comprehensive health assessment?
- Focused health assessment: Focuses on the immediate concern and is done when the client has a specific complaint or immediate information is needed.
- Comprehensive health assessment: When the nurse assesses the entire client head to toe.
Which main physical systems are assessed in a comprehensive assessment starting from head to toe?
- neuro
- respiratory
- cardiac
- gastrointestinal
- kidneys
- musculoskeletal
- skin
In addition to the physical assessment of the client, what additional data does the nurse look at to get an overall picture of the client?
-
labs
- CBC, BMP or CMP
- labs specific to problem
-
imaging diagnostic tests
- x-rays, CT scan, MRI, etc
- medical and surgical history and physical from HCP
- medication administration record (MAR)
How often should a typical nursing physical assessment be done on each of the following units:
- Post-operatively
- ICU
- Progressive or Step-down unit
- Medical-surgical unit
- Post-Op: focused assessments every 5- 15 minutes
- ICU: every 1-2 hours
- Progressive or Step-down unit: about every 2-4 hours
- Medical-surgical unit: about every 4-8 hours
What is subjective and objective data?
Subjective data: what the client tells you
Objective data: what anyone can observe
Subjective data example: the client’s stated pain level
Objective data example: a set of vital signs
What conditions cause a higher than normal body temperature?
- dehydration
- stress
- ovulation
- strenuous exercise
Clients with which conditions should avoid rectal temperature measurements?
Those at risk of bleeding or infection should avoid rectal temps.
ex: DIC or leukemia
Clients with which conditions should avoid oral temperature measurements?
Those that have had oral surgery, because of a risk of trauma to the mouth.
What is placed on the finger to obtain a pulse and oxygen reading?
pulse oximeter
Define:
Posterior and Anterior
- Posterior: the back of something
- Anterior: the front of something
What is a rapid and basic neuro assessment?
Assess the level of consciousness by asking the client 4 questions:
- Person: “What is your name?”
- Place: “Where are you?”
- Time: “What year is it?” or “Who is the president?”
- Situation: “Do you remember why you are here?”
Define:
Distal and Proximal
- Distal: away from something
- Proximal: closer to something
What is PERRLA?
PERRLA is using a light to check if Pupils are:
- Equal
- Round
- React to Light
- Accommodate
Remember: pupils constrict as objects get closer.
What is the cranial nerves “saying” in order to remember the names of the 12 cranial nerves?
Oh, Oh, Oh! To Touch And Feel A Good Velvet, Such Heaven!
- Olfactory
- Optic
- Oculomotor
- Trochlear
- Trigeminal
- Abducens
- Facial
- Acoustic/Vestibulocochlear
- Glossopharyngeal
- Vagus
- Spinal Accessory
- Hypoglossal
Draw the cranial nerve face.
This will help you to remember the function and location of the nerves.
What is the function of cranial nerve I?
I. Olfactory: smell
What is the function of cranial nerve II?
II. Optic: vision
What is the function of cranial nerve III?
III. Oculomotor: movement of pupils and eyelids
What is the function of cranial nerve IV?
IV. Trochlear: downward and inward movement of the eyes
What is the function of cranial nerve V?
V. Trigeminal: chewing
What is the function of cranial nerve VI?
VI. Abducens: eye movement lateral (side to side)
What is the function of cranial nerve VII?
VII. Facial: movement of all the facial muscles and taste
What is the function of cranial nerve VIII?
VIII. Acoustic/Vestibulocochlear: hearing
What is the function of cranial nerve IX?
IX. Glossopharyngeal: swallowing and taste
What is the function of cranial nerve X?
X. Vagus: swallowing and speaking
What is the function of cranial nerve XI?
XI. Spinal Accessory: shoulder movement
What is the function of cranial nerve XII?
XII. Hypoglossal: tongue strength
What is a Romberg test?
Used to test a client’s balance.
Have client stand with feet apart with eyes closed to assess balance.
Define:
Ptosis
When one eye droops.
What are the 5 areas of the brain?
- frontal lobe
- parietal lobe
- temporal lobe
- occipital lobe
- cerebellum
What is the function of the frontal lobe?
Controls:
- thinking
- speech
- personality changes
What is the function of the parietal lobe?
Processes information for:
- temperature
- taste
- movement
What is the function of the temporal lobe?
Controls:
- hearing
- language comprehension
- memories
What is the function of the occipital lobe?
Controls vision.
What is the function of the cerebellum?
Located at the bottom of the brain.
Controls:
- movement
- gait
- balance
What are the 4 regions of the spine?
- Cervical: C1-C8
- Thoracic: T1-T12
- Lumbar: L1-L5
- Sacral and Coccyx: S1-S5
What do the cervical nerves control?
(C1-C8)
- breathing
- arm and neck movement
What do the thoracic nerves control?
(T1-T12)
The strength of the:
- chest
- back
- abdomen
What do the lumbar nerves control?
(L1-L5)
The strength of the:
- lower abdomen
- buttocks
- legs
What do the sacral and coccyx nerves control?
(S1-S5)
The strength of the:
- thighs
- lower leg
- genitals
What questions are asked during a nursing lung assessment?
- Have you had any difficulty breathing at rest or with activity?
- Have you had a cough?
- If so, is it dry or a productive cough with mucus?
- If productive with mucus, what color is it?
What are the normal lung sounds?
- Vesicular
- Bronchial (tracheal)
- Bronchovesicular