Skills Exam 3 Flashcards
what is the purpose of a physical examination?
- Gather baseline data
- compare assessment to other assessments in case of change
- supplement, confirm, or refute subjective data obtained
- Identify and confirm nursing diagnosis
- Make clinical decisions about change in health
- evaluate the outcomes of care
- better understand patients educational needs
- better understand patients physical, mental, and emotional needs
- Learn the patients culture
When meeting a patient for the first time, it is important to establish a baseline assessment that will enable a nurse to refer back to?
A. Physiological outcomes of care
B.The normal range of physical findings
C. a pattern of findings identified when the patient is first assessed
D. clinical judgements made about a patients changing health status
C. a pattern of findings identified when the patient is first assessed
what are things that should be done to prepare for an examination?
- Infection control
- Environment
- Equipment
- Physical preparation of patient
- assessment of age groups
- Maintain privacy
- educate and answer any questions before task
- inform patient what you will be doing before you do it
How should you organize the assessment of each body system?
Using a Head to toe approach
what is important to know when doing a head to toe?
You should Perform painful procedures at the end
Head to toe tip!
compare sides for symmetry
Head to toe tip!
offer rest periods as needed
Head to toe tip!
Record quick notes during the examination; complete larger notes at the end of the examination
what types of techniques are used during a physical assessment?
- Inspection
- Auscultation
- Palpation
- Percussion
Observation made with eyes, ears, nose as soon as you walk into the room
Inspection
what should you watch for during the inspection phase of the assessment?
- Non verbal expressions
- asses emotional and mental status
- asses physical movements
During inspection you should….
use adequate lighting
use direct lighting to inspect body cavities
-position and expose body parts as needed so all surfaces can be viewed but privacy can be maintained
-validate findings with the patient
Auscultation Requires:
- Good hearing
- a good stethoscope
- knowledge
- concentration and practice
what are sound characteristics to focus on during auscultation?
- Frequency
- loudness
- quality
- duration
Palpation
use of touch to gather information
what should be done when performing palpation?
- use different parts of the hands to detect different characteristics
- hands should be warm and fingernails short
- you should start with light palpation, end with deep palpation
Percussion
Tap the skin with fingertips to vibrate underlying tissues and organs.
what does the sound while doing percussion determine?
- location
- size
- density of structures
percussion is usually more performed by…
more advanced providers
General Survey
General appearance and behavior
Examples of General survey include
Gender, race, age, signs of distress, body type, posture, gait, movements, hygiene, dress, mood, speech, signs of abuse, substance abuse
Also included in General survey…..
- Vital signs
- height and weight
what is an assessment done to assess the level of consciousness?
AVPU
AVPU
- AWAKE and ALERT
- Responds to VERBAL stimuli
- Responds to PAINFUL stimuli
- UNCONCIOUS
When or why is the Glasgow coma scale used?
to asses a patients level of consciousness on a more deeper scale or more detailed scale (usually used in emergency settings and ICU units)
what number of the Glasgow coma scale is a good number meaning patient is responding perfectly
15
what number on the Glasgow coma scale means the patient is comatose?
<8 remember “less than 8, intubate”
Why is orientation assessed?
to determine if the patient is confused
It is good to have a baseline of a patients orientation why?
because if their orientation suddenly changes we can know something is wrong and we need to asses
What should you ask to asses orientation?
- Person
- Place
- Time
- Situation
If the patient is acutely confused what should you do?
use reality orientation to attempt to reorient them
If the patient is chronically confused( i.e. Dementia), what should you do?
you should avoid reorientation it can make the patient become agitated
why do we asses pupils?
to determine if the patients neurological response is appropriate
What should you find when assessing the pupils?
Both pupils should be the same shape, size and react to light equally
with what disease may the pupils react differently
With glaucoma, this would be expected
what should you check when assessing the pupils?
- Size
- Shape
- Reactivity to light
- consensual response
- accommodation
If all findings are within appropriate limits what do we call it?
PERRLA with consensual response present
PERRLA
Pupils Equal Round Reactive to Light with Accommodation(and consensual response)
Speech patterns/sounds
- Clear
- slurred
- garbled
- absent(non verbal)
Communication abilities
- Logical
- Illogical
Aphasia
the inability to communicate
Forms of aphasia
- Sensory/receptive- patient doesn’t understand the words being spoken to them, they are able to speak may be illogical.
- Motor/expressive-patient cannot express themselves using verbal communication
Inspecting head and face
- Position, size, shape
- Symmetrical facial features
- Because it is common to have a relatively “normal” head size/shape/position and symmetrical facial features, we don’t document it if it is normal
- if something is outside of expected normal parameters, document it and describe
EENT
- ears
- eyes
- nose
- throat
why do we Asses the ears?
to determine if there is any excessive drainage( ex: excessive cerumen)
What question should you ask especially if the patient is having trouble hearing?
Do you wear hearing aids?
If patient is hard of hearing you should…
speak up loudly and speak in short phrases, then provide appropriate time for the patient to respond
Eyes
- Are eyelids swollen
- color of sclera
- Glasses or no glasses( when do they wear them
Nose
- Septum( midline/deviated)
- Nares( patent/occluded)
- ask patient if they have any issues breathing through nose or mouth
Lips, oral mucosa, and teeth
- Color should be pink
- lips and oral mucosa should be moist and in tact and teeth should be present, ask if patient wears dentures anyway
Throat (Carotid artery and jugular vein)
-Visible pulsations of carotid artery?
-Juglar vein distention present in semi or high fowlers?
Indicate fluid overload
What is the function of the respiratory system?
- Oxygenation
- Gas exchange
Ventilation
- Movement of gases into and out of the lung
- Involves inspiration (inhale) and expiration (exhale)
Diffusion
Movement of oxygen and carbon dioxide between alveoli and red blood cells
Perfusion
Distribution of red blood cells to and from the pulmonary capillaries