Priority Questions

[Yayamaya, RN]

I am having a difficult time with exam questions that require prioritizing what the nurse world do first, or what is most important. Is there a rule of thumb- like do you always inspect before percussing and ausculate last? How about with questions that have document as a choice - is documentation last? Thanks for any advice and hints!!!

[Daytonite, BSN, RN]

Follow the sequence of the nursing process:

1. Assessment (collect data from medical record, do a physical assessment of the patient, assess ADL's, look up information about your patient's medical diseases/conditions to learn about the signs and symptoms and pathophysiology)
   
2. Determination of the patient's problem(s)/Nursing diagnosis (make a list of the abnormal assessment data, match your abnormal assessment data to likely nursing diagnoses, decide on the nursing diagnoses to use)
   
3. Planning (write measurable goals/outcomes and nursing interventions)
   
4. Implementation (initiate the care plan)
   
5. Evaluation (determine if goals/outcomes have been met)
   

[moncj66]

yes, u always inspect/palpate/then percuss..unless its the abdomen..then its inspect/percuss and palpate last...u always document after you finish the task, never before