Frequency of Nursing Assessment

[LinC]

How often does your hospital require a full assessment on a inpatient? How often for a focus assessment? Is it different for med/surg versus telemetry versus critical care? Do you have a formal protocol that dictates frequency? What guidelines did your institution use to make this decision?

My hospital is presently looking for guidelines on this, and I need help !

[schack]

I am currently working L&D, PP which isn't the same. Labor is an ongoing assessment. PP is every 8. But I worked at a small hospital previously and I was responsible for med/surg, tele. ICU. Med/surg assessments were q 12 (not new post-ops), tele. was q 8 and ICU was q 4. That was our policy. Focused assessments were prn. :)

[luvRNs, BSN, MSN, RN]

Full assessment once per shift. Don't spell out wheter that is a 12 hour or eight hour shift. The number of focused assessments depends on level of care and/or patient condition, medications administered etc. As for policy be CAREFUL not to overstate. If you set a specific time ( i.e. within one hour after admission) the joint commission will hold you to that. You can also look to specialty organizations for recommended guidelines.

[classicdame, MSN, EdD]

our nurse practice act requires an assessment every 24 hours and prn nursing judgment in an acute care setting. Our hospital's policies vary by department. Our nurses vary too, but that is why they are RN's - their own judgment is valuable. Trouble happens when the night nurse, who is not documenting a full assessment, misses something (like pressure ulcer for instance). 24 hours can be a long time in a hospital setting, but it depends so much on that particular patient.

[Blue Crab Lover]

I work on tele unit and we also do step down pts. Regular tele q8. Step down q4 and focus prn.

[Michifura]

I work in tele, we do full assessments every 4hrs (3 per shift-0800, 1200, 1600) skin assessment every 4 hrs, fall assessment once a shift or if condition changes, vital signs every 4 hrs. New admissions or transfers-assessments should be completed within the hour.

[ittybabyRN, RN]

I work in a NICU and we do full hands on assessments q3 or 4 depending on the kiddos feeding schedule (if NPO q4). Focus assessments as needed and for the most part we don't get too far from our babies anyways and are constantly aware of the monitors numbers as well as work of breathing, IV sites and other visual things that don't require handling the baby. Don't know what the rest of the hospitals policy is nor how things differ from the ICU's to the floor.