Physical Assessment! Help!!!!

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Specializes in Occ health, Med/surg, ER.

I am stressing big time with physical assessment class. There is sooo much info. We have our first exam in physical assessment today!! I have never been so lost. Biological data, past health history, review of systems!!! Ahhhghh!!! Does anyone have any pointers, what I should focus on? I AM LOST in this class. Help!!

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Specializes in CCRN.

There is a lot of info to learn. Our physical assessment course focuses on learning the normals, as well as a few of the abnormals. Alot of it is new terminology to grab ahold of. Just hang in there and stay focused. Let us know if there are any topics we can clarify for you.

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Understand the concepts of physical examination. The four techniques for PE are assessed in this order: inspection, palpation, percussion and auscultation. Relate these 4 techniques to each body system.

Note: The order of PE technique is different for the abdominal system.

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I find it very helpful to remember that i am doing a head to toe examination (except in an emergent case, where it is slightly more focused on the problem at hand). If you get in the routine of doing it in a certain order you get used to it. I do it head to toe beause i usually begin by talking to the patient-at the head of the bed! Also it is important to understand that you can gather a lot of information by observation and by gathering subjective data. relax when you are doing a physical assessment, let the patient feel that you are competent and confident-this will make the patient more relaxed and ultimately the assessment will go more smoothly.

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Specializes in med/surg, telemetry, IV therapy, mgmt.

please check out this new thread

https://allnurses.com/forums/f205/website-help-physical-assessment-screening-physical-exam-145091.html#post1538265

i have found a number of new websites on performing physical examinations and doing health assessments that i posted to that thread that you should check out. you may find them helpful to you.

http://www.sinclair.edu/academics/alh/departments/nsg/pub/npt%20web.doc - a 26 page nursing process assessment tool from sinclair community college nursing program in dayton, ohio. http://www.sinclair.edu/academics/alh/departments/nsg/pub/directions.doc these are the directions for using this form

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Specializes in Gerontological, cardiac, med-surg, peds.

Great resources, Daytonite :) Thanks so much.

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Hang in there...you CAN do this!

And Daytonite...thanks!

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