Best Practices, Tips or Advice on Physical Assessments

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Specializes in Pediatrics, ICU, ED.

I'm have a hard time doing physical assessments. I can never hear my pt's lung sounds and heart beats.

Also, I always never have enough time to do my assessments and always forget one thing and have to go back to the pt's room to do that part of the physical assessment that I missed.

Anyone have best practices, tips, or advice when doing physical assessments?

Thanks in advance!

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Specializes in Labor and Delivery.

Well I haven't had much luck about not forgetting something. I get closer to making it, and last clinical day I only forgot one thing so that was better. I guess my point is I definately think it's just something that you get better with practice.

I don't understand though how you can't hear heart and lung sounds. Do you know your placements? What kind of stethoscope do you have?

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We had to learn this head to toe assessment in first semester but I have yet to see a nurse actually do that.

Do you not hear the lung and heart sounds or do you mean you don't know what you're hearing?

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