Nursing health assessment.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Introduction to health assessment -- Physical examination techniques -- Health history taking -- Mental health assessment -- Assessment of vital signs and body measurements -- Assessment of skin, hair, and nails -- Assessment of cardiovascular and respiratory systems -- Assessment of gastrointestinal musculoskeletal systems.

"Health assessment is an important task for nurses as it helps them provide high quality care for their patients. This assessment involves collecting information about a patient's physical, mental, social, and spiritual needs. The first step in this process is to gather both subjective (information from the patient) and objective (measurable information) data. A comprehensive health assessment is typically done when a patient is admitted to a hospital or clinic, or when they are stable enough to undergo a physical exam. However, if a patient has been in a nurse's care for a while, an abbreviated assessment can be done instead. This type of assessment is less detailed and is often done at follow-up appointments or when a patient is transferred to a different unit. An abbreviated assessment is helpful because it allows the nurse to assess the patient's condition quickly and efficiently. This book is a resource for nurses to learn how to conduct a thorough health assessment for adult patients. The book contains eight chapters that cover various aspects of the assessment process, including physical examination techniques, taking health histories, assessing mental health, measuring vital signs and body measurements, examining skin, hair, and nails, and assessing the cardiovascular, respiratory, gastrointestinal, genitourinary, and musculoskeletal systems.
The book is designed to provide nurses with the knowledge and skills necessary to perform a thorough and accurate health assessment for adult patients, enabling them to provide the best possible care"-- Back cover.