NUR 116 CL - General Assessment Flashcards
What are the techniques of Physical Asssessment?
Inspection
Palpation
Percussion
Auscultation
(Olfaction as needed)
What are all the systems we check?
Skin
Head and Neck
Thorax
Cardiovascular
Abdominal/Genitalia/Rectum
Musculoskeletal
Neurological
Parts of the General Survey
Focused Hx questions
Developmental modifications
Observe
GENERAL skin assessment: focused hx & assessment
General Survey Part 1: Focused Hx questions
- How are you feeling today?
o What brought them to the clinic/hospital
o Are you in any discomfort/pain?
o Hospitalizations or surgeries?
o Medicines taking (include over the counter)
o Alcohol (amount daily)
o Herbal products or natural remedies
o Any difficulty falling asleep or staying awake
General Survey Part 2: Developmental modifications
Developmental modifications
o Infants/children
o Older adults”
- LADLs (Lawton Instrumental Activities of Daily Living)
- SPICES = (Sleep disorders, Problems eating or feeding, Incontinence, Confusion, Evidence of falls, Skin breakdown)
General Survey Part 3: Observe
o Identify signs of physical or emotional stress
o Observe apparent age, gender, and race
o Facial characteristics + expression
o Body type and posture
o Observe gait and any abnormal movements
o Listen to your client’s speech pattern
o Assess mental state and effect
o Observe dress, grooming, and hygiene
o Measure vital signs
o AAO X 3 – (Person, Place & Time)
o Measure height, weight and BMI & measure infant’s head circumference
General Survey Part 4: Skin Assessment
o Gather equipment needed
o Focused history questions:
History of Rashes?
History of allergy?
Areas of skin that have changed color?
Lesions?
Roughness or unusual texture?
Warmth, coolness?
General Survey Part 5: Skin assessment procedure steps
o Inspect skin: color, mucus membranes, tongue, conjunctiva.
o Palpate skin for temperature
o Palpitate skin for turgor.
o Palpate the skin for texture.
o Palpate skin for moisture/hydration
o Inspect for edema.
o Identify any skin lesions – describe skin lesions.
o Patient teaching
o Home care
Then. document
What do you do for the General Survey?
Signs of distress
Gender, race, body type, age, affect, mood, allergies
Level of consciousness and orientation
Posture, gait, speech, hygiene and grooming
Signs of abuse
Vital signs, height, weight
Skin Assessment
- Inspect: Color, mucus membranes, tongue conjunctiva, lesions
- Palpate: temperature, turgor, texture, moisture,
- Normal skin lesions associated with aging:
lentigo senilis - brown macules d/t sun exposure
seborrheic keratosis - Raised brown bumps
senile purpura - fragile skin, purple bruises
acrochordons (skin tags)
ABCDE (for lesions):
Asymmetry
Border
Color
Diameter
Evolution
Edema: location, degree, rate of return and type of swelling
+1 2mm
+2 4mm
+3 6mm
+4 8mm
Head and Neck
Inspect:
Size (acromegaly or microcephaly) held erect
mid-line
temporal pulse
hair color
hair distribution & quality pediculosis (lice)
dandruff
Hirsutism
Palpate:
Masses
Tenderness
Mobility
EYES
Inspection - Pallor, dryness, edema
Ectropion - everted eyelid
Entropion - Inverted eyelid, can = corneal damage
Ptosis - Drooping of eyelid, CVA or Bell’s Palsy
Eyebrow/eyelashes
Pupil:
Color
Pupil size (Should be equal 3-7mm)
PERLA
Pupil
Equal
Round
Reactive
Light
Accommodation
Assess:
Hyperopia - far sighted
Myopia - near sighted
Presbyopia - Changes due to aging > 40 years
Snellen chart for reading
Sclera and Conjunctiva for CCAILDT
Color
Capillaries
Allergies
Inflammation
Liver Disorders
Trauma
Palpate external structures
EAR:
-Pinna for: Color, Lesions, Shape, Symmetry
-Cerumen - sticky substance in outer ear
- Discharge, lesions, hearing aids, acuity
Assess hearing:
Presbycusis - Loss of high pitched sounds, sensorineural loss sounds
Assess for pain/infection: Otitis externa, otitis media, Meniere’s disease
Palpate: smoothness, tenderness, pliable and nodules
NOSE
External structures for: position, nasal flaring
Internal structures for: drainage, tenderness, hair growth
Palpate external structure
MOUTH/ORAL PHARYNX
Mouth and lips for: Symmetry. swallowing problems, dryness
Ask client if they smoke
Teeth - Dentures, periodontal disease, poor oral hygiene
Tongue - dorsal, ventral and lateral aspect for: health, color
Palpate lips for: Thyroid, carotid pulses, ROM
What are three changes that would be expected findings during head and neck exam of an older adult?
- Decreased saliva production
- Decreased sense of taste
- Dysphagia (difficulty swallowing)
- Tooth loss
List every major part of the head and neck assessment
Neck
Eyes
Nose
Ears
Mouth/Oral Pharynx
Head and Neck assessment: HEAD
Inspect:
Size (acromegaly or microcephaly) held erect
mid-line
temporal pulse
hair color
hair distribution & quality pediculosis (lice)
dandruff
Hirsutism - excessive hair growth
Palpate:
Masses
Tenderness
Mobility
Head and Neck assessment: Eyes
Inspection - Pallor, dryness, edema
Ectropion - everted eyelid
Entropion - Inverted eyelid, can = corneal damage
Ptosis - Drooping of eyelid, CVA or Bell’s Palsy
Eyebrow/eyelashes
Pupil:
Color
Pupil size (Should be equal 3-7mm)
PERLA
Pupil
Equal
Round
Reactive
Light
Accommodation
ASSESS VISION:
Hyperopia - far sighted
Myopia - near sighted
Presbyopia - Changes due to aging > 40 years
Snellen chart for reading
Sclera and Conjunctiva for CCAI-LD-T
Color
Capillaries
Allergies
Inflammation
Liver Disorders
Trauma
Palpate external structures
Head and Neck assessment: Ear
-Pinna for: Color, Lesions, Shape, Symmetry
-Cerumen - sticky substance in outer ear
- Discharge, lesions, hearing aids, acuity
Assess hearing:
Presbycusis - Loss of high pitched sounds, sensorineural loss sounds
Assess for pain/infection: Otitis externa, otitis media, Meniere’s disease