head to toe assessment help

[rocket2010]

anyone have any tips or tricks to remembering everything when assessing a pt? i have to do an assessment in front of my clinical instructor and i am nervous!!

thanks!

[CDeniseGo]

The easies way is to do everything in an order that is comfortable to YOU! As long as you don't forget any vital areas, you should be ok! I just go from the top of the head to the feet. But if that doesn't hep you remember, then start at the feet and go up, whatever helps...

[brokenroads27]

i'm still working on figuring out how to remember everything myself too. i agree with the first person to respond....do what feels comfortable. start practicing assessments a certain way, like head to toe, and remember every area. if its hard to remember even when going head to toe, make up a mneumonic for all the areas using the first letter of each main word, like for skin/hair/nails just use SHN and keep going with every main body system. good luck!

[mmccool719]

Our instructor told us the biggest weak spot is forgetting feet!!!

[LadyMermaid]

I don't have any special tips or tricks but the easiest way for me to remember was to practice again and again and again. I practice in the skills lab, on my sister, brother and boyfriend.

Also, a group of three students would take turn practicing on each other. One student would be the nurse, one would be the patient and the other would point out things we missed and make up repeat the assessment until we got it right. It might also be beneficial to make an outline or check list. HTH!

[wife&mommyRN]

The head to toe assessment isn't as scary as it seems, make sure u are working with someone you feel comfortable with and that doesn't mind doing it over and over. If you have a problem with your partner change immediately, it is your grade. In my class the only people that struggled with it were those that had partners they didn't work well with. They gave us a checklist of everything we needed to do and said we could use the list and write notes on it, but would be deducted points for depending on the list. If they offer u the option of the list don;t even bring it in w/ u & don't even practice with it because u will quickly begin depending on the checklist, this will force you to develop your own system of remembering and don't forget the why part because you are going to be responsible for explaining everything you are doing. The easiest thing for me was literally going from head to toe and remembering the reasons why from lecture and saying it over and over again. Another trick is if you forget pause for too long have your partner stick out that body part and u will remember. Example, if you forget Bibinski, and you are @ the leg they should stick out their foot & that should ring a bell. Everything will flow well together just practice as much as possible. Good Luck!