Physical Examination Flashcards
What are the four principles of physical examination?
Inspection
Palpation
Percussion
Auscultation
While taking a general history, which aspects of the patient should be examined?
General appearance State of nutrition Body habitus Symmetry Posture and gait Speech
What physical characteristics are associated with chronic disease?
Poor nutrition, sunken eyes, temporal wasting, and loose skin
What characteristics are common in a asthenic, or ectomorphic, patient?
Thin, has poor muscle development and small bone structure,
What characteristics are common in a sthenic, or mesomorphic, patient?
Athletic type with excellent development of the muscles and a large bone structure.
What characteristics are common in a hypersthenic, or endomorphic, patient?
Short, round individual with good muscle development but frequently has a weight problem.
What is the purpose of palpation?
To determine the characteristics of an area of the body,
What is the purpose of percussion?
Relates to the tactile sensation and sound produced when a sharp blow is struck to an area being examined.
Why is it preferable to use daytime lighting when examining a patient?
It is preferable to use daylight for illumination because skin color changes may be masked by artificial light.
What is the proper way to conduct a physical assessment?
The physical examination is conducted by body regions, not by systems.
What are universal precautions?
Universal precautions are infection control methods that treat all human blood and certain body fluids as if they are known to be infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus (HCV), and other blood-borne pathogens.
What are standard precautions?
Recommended for the care of all patients regardless of their disease status, handwashing and using the appropriate protective equipment as needed
What is the difference between specificity and sensitivity?
Sensitivity is the frequency of a positive result of a test or technique in individuals with a disease or condition
Specificity is the frequency of a negative result of a test or technique in individuals without a disease or condition.
What tool can be used to rule out disease for a patient with a negative finding?
High Sensitivity
What tool can be used to confirm disease for a patient with a positive finding.
High Specificity
