Head to Toe Assessment

[Tiffc88, RN]

Currently I'm enrolled in an associate nursing program in my first of two years. We have to perform head to toe assessment for proficiency. I'm so nervous but I was wondering if any student or nurse had advice to help me? Any would be appreciated!

[hippie_runner]

Start at the top and work down by body system. Ask questions about the body system you are assessing. For example, after you auscultate the bowel sounds and are palpating, ask about bowel habits and their GI history. It is really not complicated. Find your groove. Practice on family members. Don't make it harder than it has to be.

[pro-student]

Practice, practice, practice! Practice over and over in family and friends, basically anyone who will let you touch them. Practice on classmates and give each other feedback. Practice on your pillow when no one else you know will let you. Assessment is a set of skills you can only learn by doing over and over again. The same goes for the process of a head to toe assessment. Your school probably has a specific set and order they want you to follow for your instructor which you should learn till you can do in your sleep. After that though, you will develop your own flow and it will be second nature.

[Medic_to_BSN, BSN, RN]

Practice, practice, practice! Practice over and over in family and friends, basically anyone who will let you touch them. Practice on classmates and give each other feedback. Practice on your pillow when no one else you know will let you. Assessment is a set of skills you can only learn by doing over and over again. The same goes for the process of a head to toe assessment. Your school probably has a specific set and order they want you to follow for your instructor which you should learn till you can do in your sleep. After that though, you will develop your own flow and it will be second nature.

Now if your pillow responds that it's been short of breath and having recent gastrointestinal disturbances ...

[CharlieFoxtrot]

Practice, practice, practice! Practice over and over in family and friends, basically anyone who will let you touch them. Practice on classmates and give each other feedback.

^^^ This.

For my health assessment class, my partner and I practiced over and over again. Over the course of two weeks, we must have done our assessment a dozen times or more. We also had our spouses check off each requirement on the assessment.

I also second the suggestion of having a logical order - head to toe, and always look, listen, feel. You might try breaking the assessment down into small pieces and building on each section.

Good luck!

[Cindyel, ASN, RN]

Youtube and practice!