Module 1 Flashcards
Assessment Mneunomic for history of present illness: OLD CARTS
O - onset (when did it start?)
L - location
D - duration (is it constant? does it come and go? does it happen when you eat/when you move?)
C - character
A - alleviating/aggravating
R - radiation
T - timing (what were you doing when this started?)
S - severity
What are some of the objective effects and signs of pain?
Stress response (increased respirations), muscle tension, facial grimacing, guarding, bracing, rubbing painful areas
What are the 5 broad categories of pain?
acute pain
musculoskeletal pain
complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS)
chronic pain
neuropathic pain
What are the 4 types of musculoskeletal pain?
1) visceral pain - abdominal organs
2) somatic pain
3) cutaneous pain (skin
layers, “burning” “sharp”)
4) referred pain (cardiac pain; phantom pain)
Chronic pain
“no known cause or treatment” - affects approx. 40% of US population
How does aging influence pain?
Pain is prevalent in older adults, pain sensation is NOT diminished, pain is NOT considered a normal consequence of aging
What is the pain rating scale (0-10) with the faces called?
Wong-Baker FACES Pain Rating Scale
What pain scale is used for infants (2 months to 7 months) and includes the following categories: face, legs, activity, cry, consolability?
Score from 0-10
FLACC scale
What do JHACO standards require in regards to pain?
Pain must be assessed and reassed regularly
How do you assess a patient’s level of consciosness?
-Alertness
-Orientation: (person, place, time & situation)
How do you assess Orientation?
Person: what is your name?
Place: where are you right now?
Time: do you know the date? what month? what year? (specific - > general)
Situation: what brought you in here today?
What are the 4 steps of psychomotor assessment (the ‘doing of health assessment’)?
Inspection (looking)
Palpation - (touching)
Percussion (honestly - not done often) - drumming to know what’s going on based on the sound
Auscultation (listening)
The ulnar aspect is more sensitive to _____
vibration
The dorsal aspect is more sensitive to _____
heat
Temperature is regulated by this part of the brain
hypothalamus
What do neonates do instead of shivering?
They have special brown adipose tissue that can be broken down if more heat is needed
How does aging affect temperature regulation?
It’s easier for the elderly to overheat because they have fewer sweat glands (this is also true for infants)
All of the following are examples of _____:
Radiation
Convection
Conduction
Evaporation
Mechanisms of heat loss
What is the normal range for temperature?
36.7 - 37
what are the steps of the nursing process?
assessment, diagnosis, planning, implementation, evaluation
define nursing diagnosis
clinical judgment made by a nurse to identify and describe a client’s actual or potential health problems
nursing diagnosis vs medical diagnosis
Nursing diagnoses are different from medical diagnoses provided by physicians, which focus on identifying diseases or medical conditions. Nursing diagnoses, on the other hand, focus on the client’s response to their health status or life situation. They provide a framework for nurses to understand and communicate the client’s unique needs and guide the development of an individualized care plan.
“Impaired Gas Exchange,” “Acute Pain,” “Ineffective Coping,” “Risk for Falls,” and “Impaired Mobility” are all examples of _____
nursing diagnoses
what are the three components of a nursing diagnosis?
problem, etiology (or related factors), signs & symptoms
what are the three types of nursing assessments?
emergency, comprehensive, focused
what are the components of an emergency assessment?
A: Airway
-Assess and ensure a patent airway.
-Look for obstructions or potential issues compromising breathing.
-Perform interventions like positioning, suctioning, or advanced airway management.
B: Breathing
-Assess rate, depth, and quality of respirations.
-Auscultate lung sounds.
-Identify signs of respiratory distress or inadequate oxygenation.
-Administer supplemental oxygen or assist ventilations as needed.
C: Circulation
-Evaluate heart rate, blood pressure, and peripheral perfusion.
-Assess for signs of shock and peripheral pulses.
-Monitor cardiac rhythm.
-Perform interventions such as fluid resuscitation or medication administration.
D: Disability
-Assess neurological status (consciousness, pupil reactions, motor responses).
Identify signs of brain injuries, strokes, or neurological deficits.
E: Exposure/Environmental control
-Remove clothing for a thorough physical examination.
-Address environmental factors (e.g., extreme temperature)
comprehensive nursing assessment
-a thorough and systematic process of gathering information about a patient’s health status, medical history, current concerns, and overall well-being
-Involves observation, interviews, physical examination, and reviewing relevant medical records
what is the purpose of a comprehensive nursing assessment?
The purpose of a comprehensive nursing assessment is to establish a holistic understanding of the patient’s health, identify actual or potential health problems, and develop an individualized plan of care
what are the components of a comprehensive nursing assessment?
Health History: Past illnesses, surgeries, allergies, medications, family history, lifestyle.
Physical Examination: Systematic assessment of body systems, vital signs, palpation, percussion, auscultation.
Psychosocial Assessment: Mental health, emotions, cognitive abilities, social support, coping mechanisms.
Functional Assessment: ADLs, independence, mobility, assistive devices.
Pain Assessment: Location, intensity, duration, aggravating/relieving factors, impact on activities.
Risk Assessment: Identify potential risks (falls, pressure ulcers, medication interactions).
Cultural Assessment: Beliefs, values, practices influencing health perception and care preferences.
Documentation and Data Analysis: Accurate documentation, data organization, identification of patterns.
Importance: Establishes patient’s health status, identifies problems, guides personalized care planning.
what is a focused assessment?
a focused assessment is a targeted and specific assessment conducted to gather information about a particular problem, concern, or a specific body system
what is SBAR communication?
Situation
Background
Assessment
Recommendation
It provides a concise framework for clear and organized VERBAL communication during handoffs, transfers, and when reporting changes in a patient’s status
which is bigger on a stethoscope - the bell or diaphragm?
the diaphragm
what do you use the diaphragm of a stethoscope for? what kind of pressure do you apply?
-Commonly used for high-frequency sounds, such as lung and bowel sounds, as well as normal heart sounds
-Apply firm pressure
what do you use the bell of a stethoscope for? what kind of pressure do you apply?
-used for low-frequency sounds, such as murmurs and some vascular sounds
-apply light pressure
otoscope
An otoscope is a medical device used to examine the ears and ear canal for diagnostic purposes.
Define sentinel event
an unexpected occurrence or death that results in serious harm or poses a risk of serious harm to a patient in a healthcare setting
Three quarters of all sentinel events are caused by a failure in ______
communication
What is an acute/urgent respiratory rate?
less than 8
more than 28
What is an acute/urgent HR?
less than 50
greater than 120`
what is considered acute/urgent for oxygen saturation?
acute change in O2 status less than 90 despite oxygen administration
what is considered acute/urgent for a fever?
greater than 102.2 F (39 C)
Point-of-care documentation
Refers to the practice of recording patient information in real-time at the location where care is provided, typically using electronic health record systems or mobile devices.
Clinical pathway
A standard plan of care for patients with a specific medical condition or undergoing a specific procedure
what is the normal range for temperature?
36.5-37C ( 97.7-98.6F)
what are 5 factors influencing BP?
1) Cardiac output: The amount of blood pumped by the heart per minute, which is determined by the heart rate and stroke volume.
2) Peripheral resistance: The resistance encountered by blood flow in the arteries, influenced by factors like blood vessel constriction, vessel elasticity, and blood viscosity.
3) Blood volume: The total amount of blood in the body, which can be affected by factors such as hydration status, fluid balance, and hormone regulation.
4) Blood viscosity: The thickness or stickiness of the blood, influenced by factors like red blood cell count and plasma protein levels.
5) Autonomic nervous system activity: The balance between the sympathetic and parasympathetic divisions of the autonomic nervous system, which can impact blood vessel constriction or dilation and heart rate.
when would you call rapid response for temperature?
<95
>103.3
This type of pain originates from the skin, muscles, bones, joints, or connective tissues, typically described as a sharp, localized, and well-defined sensation
Somatic pain
this type of pain originates from abdominal organs and is often described as gnawing or crampy
visceral pain
what are some possible causes of temperature elevation?
-infection
-overexertion
-hypothalamus problem
-medications or illegal drugs
-overdressing
low temp causes
severe infection
hypothalamus problem
underactive thyroid
slow metabolism of the elderly
Hypothermia temp
<35C
<95F
Hyperthermia temp
> 37.8C
Number of heartbeats per minute
Heart rate
Heart rate, heart rhythm/regularity and amplititude are the components that make up the _______
pulse
How do you report the AMPILITUDE of the pulse?
0 non-palpable
+1 diminished (hard to feel)
+2 normal (what you would expect for most people)
+3 bounding (could be caused by overhydration or exertion)
what are possible causes for tachycardia?
-recent exercise
-fever
-anxiety, fear, pain
-blood loss, anemia, or dehydration
-respiratory distress
-medications or illegal drugs
-caffeine ingestion or smoking
what are the possible causes of bradycardia?
-conditioned athlete
-hypothermia
-immobility or sleep
-medications or illegal drugs
what is the technique for finding a pulse?
-find a peripheral pulse site, usually radial pulse
-gently apply index and middle fingers
-count the pulsations you feel in 30 seconds and multiply by 2 (unless it’s irregular, then count for a full minute)
apnea
no breath
dyspnea
difficulty breathing
bradypnea
slow breaths
tachypnea
fast breaths
respiratory rate, rhythm, and depth/effort are components to assess _______
respirations
what are some words you can use to describe the depth and effort of respirations?
shallow, normal, deep
labored, unlabored
what are possible causes of tachypnea?
-fever
-exercise
-blood loss or anemia
-stimulant drugs
-respiratory illness (e.g. COPD)
-Metabolic problem (e.g. diabetic ketoacidosis)
what are possible causes of bradypnea?
-sedation
-sleep
-medication/drugs
-brain stem injury
-dying
the force that the blood places on the arterial walls
blood pressure
blood pressure is measured in _____
mm Hg (millimeters of mercury)
if a patient is losing blood you would expect the blood pressure to _____
drop
what are the ranges for prehypertension for SBP and DBP?
SBP 120-129
OR
DBP 80-89
white coat syndrome
BP is elevated due to anxiety over the appointment/situation
hypertensive crisis:
SBP > ?
DBP > ?
SBP >180
OR
DBP > 110
at what rate do you want to deflate the sphygmamanometer to get an accurate blood pressure?
2 mm Hg / second (one dash on the meter)
Korotokoff sounds
-pulsation sounds
-the most important are 1 (start) and 5 (silence)
-it takes a trained ear to hear sounds 2-4
what variables affect blood pressure?
-gender (men tend to have higher)
-family history (genetics)
-lifestyle (sendentary lifestyle deconditions the heart)
-diurnal variations (time of day)
-exercise
-body position (feet must be flat on the floor and not crossed)
-stress (white coat syndrome)
-pain
-medications
-diseases
Orthostatic hypotension
AKA postural hypotension
low BP when standing from seated/lying
dizziness, blacking out, lightheaded
what causes orthostatic hypotension?
Decreased circulating volume
Medical conditions
Dehydration
Medications
Mental status is assessed throughout the physical examination. What will you be evaluating?
-grooming- poor hygiene
-emotional status- bright affect, depressed
-body language-slumped, lack of eye contact
Besides A&O x4, what are some ways to describe LOC?
Alert
Confused -“disoriented”- difficulty following commands, poor memory
Drowsy - pt is lethargic
Stupor - pt responds only briefly to repeated stimuli
Comatose - pt is unresponsive
If patient has Glasglow Coma Scale of 3, is this concerning?
Yes - this would be high priority
If patient has a Glasglow Coma Scale of 15, is this concerning?
No patient is responsive and alert - this is normal
How to assess short-term memory?
-Three word recall after 5-10 mins (e.g. bed, phone, chair)
-OR go in after breakfast - “what did you have for breakfast?”
How to assess long-term memory?
-Ask something you can pull from their history
Mini-Cog and the mini mental status examnination (MMSE)
-cognition
-these are not used to diagnose anyone, but as an initial assessment