Patient Assessment

[MurseHopeful]

Hi,

I am a student who will hopefully be starting nursing school soon. I was reading about some of the programs at schools i am interested in and saw the part about patient assessment and was just curious how one prepares for this. I don't have a problem with the human body at all but was just wondering if we practice these assessments (i.e. on dummies and/or classmates) instead of jumping right in with an actual patient and perhaps making them very uncomfortable. Does the question make sense? Thanks in advance.

- MH

[April, RN, BSN, RN]

You will most likely practice patient assessments and other nursing skills in a skills lab before you do them on an actual patient. For the assessment part, we practiced on each other. Some schools also have a "sim-man" that simulates different senarios as if they were a real patient. Some even give birth I've heard!

Part of the assessment includes listening to lung sounds, bowel sounds, heart sounds, feel for different pulses, check reflexes, noting skin and hair abnormalities. Skills like inserting a Foley catheter are usually practiced on the sim-man.

[2bnurseplease]

I am hoping someone will correct me if I am wrong, but assessment is basically the most important aspect of nursing and a very general concept. You will read all about (and learn various methods) for patient assessment. Some include -

- oxygen assessment

- physical assessment

- psychosocial assessment (depression, self-concept, Maslow)

- safety assessment (can patient take care of her or himself, do they need assistance)

- mobility assessment (can they move themselves, what are potential problems if they cannot, what kind of assistance will you need to provide).

- risks assessment (falls, infection, etc)

- nutritional assessment (fluids, foods, etc)

- environmental assessment (any barriers that can cause harm, living conditions, hospitals, long term care)

- elimination assessment (urination or bowel movements)

- older adult assessment

- young adult assessment

- activity tolerance assessment

- etc, etc assessment

Assessment involves gathering all sorts of data on the patient via various methods (that you will read PLENTY about).

Hope this helps.

nurseplease

[NCnursestudent]

Hi! I to will be starting the nursing program soon. In August 2009. Reading this post really makes the program sound so exciting! I can't wait!!:yeah:

[RNperdiem, RN]

We do some practice on dummies and practice what we have learned on patients.

My best source of assessment practice was my boyfriend.

I checked his pupils and listened to his lungs. If you have a tolerant SO, practice on them.

[taz628, BSN, RN]

Oh yes, you will practice like no other first. :) Heck, we were even told one day to wear tanks and shorts to practice BED BATHS on one another! (Guys and Gals separated for this one lol.) So no worries. :)