Please help with question...

[mizlaura]

What does "systematic observation" in nursing mean? Is that like observing the patient while caring for them, and noting any changes in them??? Thank you in advance!

[Lev, MSN, RN, NP]

I think it's just a fancy way of saying, "keeping your sharply trained eyes and ears open."

[nurseprnRN, BSN, RN]

Let's see. You can go to the grocery store and shop systematically-- by department, by following your list, or by going up and down every aisle in order. Each of these is a system in action, and each of these will pretty much insure that everything you need will be in your kitchen when you get home.

Or you could sorta wander around, taste those free samples (yum!), maybe miss a few aisles but what the heck, leave at the end of the time you had, and when you get home discover that you didn't get the cheese for the mac and cheese you were making for dinner, and there's no more cat food, and the paper napkins are all gone, and you're not washing your scrubs tonight because you missed the detergent aisle. No system. Inadequate results.

Now, what would a systematic patient assessment accomplish for you? What are a few ways you could organize your assessment? Why would each work out for you? How would a random, unsystematic assessment work? Why?

[mizlaura]

Let's see. You can go to the grocery store and shop systematically-- by department, by following your list, or by going up and down every aisle in order. Each of these is a system in action, and each of these will pretty much insure that everything you need will be in your kitchen when you get home.

Or you could sorta wander around, taste those free samples (yum!), maybe miss a few aisles but what the heck, leave at the end of the time you had, and when you get home discover that you didn't get the cheese for the mac and cheese you were making for dinner, and there's no more cat food, and the paper napkins are all gone, and you're not washing your scrubs tonight because you missed the detergent aisle. No system. Inadequate results.

Now, what would a systematic patient assessment accomplish for you? What are a few ways you could organize your assessment? Why would each work out for you? How would a random, unsystematic assessment work? Why?

Great examples! Thanks GrnTea!