Help Please with Physical Assessment Presentation

JustBeachyNurse, LPN · Oct 18, 2012

We won't do your homework or assignments for you but many members are willing to ASSIST.

Start with what tools do YOU use for physical assessment? What do you need to check a heart rate, pulse, blood pressure, respiratory rate, temperature? What are the elements of a brief and complete physical assessment? You can reference your nursing fundamentals text book if you need a starting point.

Start with what you know and members will help guide you in your project.

asma6 · Oct 18, 2012

Yea yeah..fine. but what are the 20 positions?! I know three..

1- supine. Which is laying down.on the back

2- prone . I think it's umm..laying down on the tummy lol

3- upright. Sitting?

Now the tools are a stopper,or a watch , note book, pen. Checking blood pressure we need this thing forgot it's name...eh..it's with a cuff and a tube and valve I think...it also has this thing called bulb?

I know the rest just not the names and English isn't my first language...so it's going to be a bit hard...you know?

So please try to help alil more..

JustBeachyNurse, LPN · Oct 18, 2012

Try this sticky thread with links to various resources:

https://allnurses.com/nursing-student-assistance/student-resources-health-432179.html

Your nursing fundamentals text should list all the various positions

Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN · Oct 18, 2012

Like Beachy said we a happy to help with homework...but we will not do it for you. Giving you the answers just won't help you. Having you look it up yourself will.......especially if English is not your primary language.

These terms, likesphygmomanometer,Blood Pressure cuff, or the "thing forgot it's name...eh..it's with a cuff and a tube and valve I think...it also has this thing called bulb?" images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRxwzSzfJ9MzWHs5OYna1p2E5INHaUnHOZv17kfKPKwelXvumqmkQ are used in everyday nursing practice so they are necessary to learn if you wish to keep up with your medical peers. I am sure your text has the proper terms listed as well as pictures of these items. This link may help you organize for you presentation

http://www.dhs.state.or.us/amh/osh/edd/ss-physical-exam.pdf

The resource that Beachy gave you should give you all that you would need. From a fellow allnurses admin VickyRN.........Student Resources: Health Assessment Materials :https://allnurses.com/nursing-student-assistance/student-resources-health-432179.html should give what you are looking for and more.

Here are a few positions to get you started.......

Sitting: The patient sits erect at the end of the examination table with the feet supported on a footrest or stool.

Supine: The patient lies on the back with arms at the sides. A pillow may be placed under the head for comfort.

Lithotomy: Similar to the dorsal recumbant position but with the patient's feet in stirrups rather than flat on the table.

Dorsal recumbent: The patient is supine with the legs separated, knees bent, and feet flat on the table.

Sims: The patient lies on the left side with the left arm and shoulder behind the body, right leg and arm sharply flexed on the table, and left knee slightly flexed.

Prone: The patient lies on the abdomen with the head supported and turned to one side. The arms may be under the head or by the sides.

Knee-chest: The patient kneels on the table with the arms and chest on the table, hips in the air, and back straight.

Fowler's: The patient is half-sitting with the head of the examination table elevated 80-90 degrees.

Erect : The patient stands erect facing forward with the arms at the sides.

Standing: The patient stands erect facing forward with the arms at the sides.

Semi-Fowler: The patient is in a half-sitting position with the head of the table elevated 30-45 degrees and the knees slightly bent.

I hope this helps

Sadala, ADN, RN · Oct 22, 2012

Ok, I've got to ask. Don't they make you learn those positions in your fundamentals class (by this point in the semester)? I'm just kind of surprised. We have to do a physical assessment (head to toe) also by the end of the semester (about 4 or five weeks from now), and we don't have a formal outline so we're going to have to make our own using our fundamentals book.

However, we HAVE already been checked off on all of those things (vital signs, positioning, med admin, etc). Are you still doing labs and not into clinicals yet this semester or?

I'm just kind of curious because I guess I figured most schools would follow more or less the same time schedule. But maybe they don't.

(I just kind of wanted that warm fuzzy feeling that comes from the knowledge that all of us student nurses are in the same layer of Dante's hell together. Ya know? I'm going to be so disappointed if I find out that's not true...)

hopeful_27 · Oct 22, 2012

So I gotta make a presentation about the 20 physical assessment position, and also about the tools, what should I use when taking vital signs such as pulse, temperature, B.P, breathing (resp.) Egghhh, I feel like I'm lost..
Please any help.

I'll try to help.

Positions: Supine, Lateral, Prone, Knee to chest, lithotomy, fetal, Sims... that's all I can think of on top of my head. ( Your Fundamentals of Nursing Book has lots of them)

Eyes:

Snellan Chart - to check their vision

Ophthalmoscope- to check for red reflex, PERRLA

Ears:

Tuning Fork for Weber Test and Rinne Test

Otoscope to look into the ear canal

Tools for taking vitals:

Stethoscope

Blood pressure cuff

To check temperature:

You can use- Oral digital thermometer, tympanic ( ear) thermometer, temporal thermometer

To check the pulse, no tools needed or you can use a pulse oximetry

Respiration: You count the number of breath the make by watching their chest move. If you have a problem by just looking, put your hand on their chest and feel their chest rise.

I know I'm probably missing alot of things that you are asking, hopefully someone else will chime in. Good Luck with your presentation :up:

asma6 · Oct 28, 2012

Heyy, thanks for the help guys! :)

gosh, "justeachynurse" I really appriciate your help, but half of the links do not work, specially the youtube ones..

Got an exam with these three subjects on thursday...

any one who got any sheets that might help and make the three sujects sound easer and ehh , i dunno,, just thought i would ask some help..

Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN · Oct 28, 2012

I am not sure about things working over seas.....but the you tube stuff from this site on the reference thread seem unavailable...maybe a you-tube thing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jGf8NvqoTNs

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=head+to+toe+assessment&oq=head+to+toe+assessment&gs_l=youtube-reduced.12...0.0.0.16812.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0..0.0...0.0...1ac.

This site has a search feature in the upper right hand corner. Type in....physical assessment.

Google Search Results for physical assessment

JustBeachyNurse, LPN · Oct 28, 2012

There are no guarantees with resources listed on the internet. You Tube has a great search function that you could use the same titles listed in the sticky thread to search for new videos.

You also should have the resource of your fundamentals text book and your instructor. T

he material covered on the exam should have been reviewed in class at some point and thus you should have had the opportunity to take notes. Using the notes of others may not be relevant to your instructors goals, especially since many of the members are in the US and thus policies and procedures vary between US nursing education and overseas programs. Many schools offer tutoring or peer assistance programs. Perhaps try joining a study group with some of your classmates may be beneficial.

Also you ask for assistance with "three" subjects yet have not specified which subjects you are looking for assistance with aside from your original post "physical assessment".

Many members have offered suggestions and tools regarding your original request in this thread.