A patient is admitted to the hospital after a motorcycle accident. The nurse in the emergency room is assessing vital signs, general appearance and behavior, and performing a head-to-toe examination of all body systems. What is the nurse doing?
a. Making a medical diagnosis
b. Performing a physical examination
c. Making an evaluation
d. Performing data validation
B
A physical examination involves use of the techniques of inspection, palpation, percussion, auscultation, and smell. A complete examination includes a patient's height, weight, vital signs, general appearance and behavior, and a head-to-toe examination of all body systems. Nurses make nursing diagnoses, not medical diagnoses, after assessment of data. Evaluation is the last step of the nursing process. Evaluation is crucial to deciding whether, after interventions have been delivered, a patient's condition or well-being improves. Validation of assessment data is the comparison of data with another source to confirm accuracy.
You might also like to view...
The nurse is assessing a male patient diagnosed with chronic heart failure 10 years ago. Which finding would indicate poor perfusion to the tissues?
a. Blood pressure reading of 102/64 b. Absence of hair on the lower legs and feet c. Pulse rate of 104 beats/min d. Shortness of breath when supine
The study of all the genetic material within the cell and its impact on biological and physical characteristics is known as:
a. chromatids. c. genomics. b. karyotype. d. histones.
The clinic nurse recognizes that caring for patients and families is challenging due to:
Select all answers that apply: A) Advances in technology B) Potential legal ramifications of actions to one's professional career C) Decreased patient expectations of care D) The increased pace of health care technology
Any physiologic disorder or condition, cosmetic disfigurement, or anatomical loss affecting any body system is a:
a. mental impairment. c. physical impairment. b. disability. d. major life enjoyment.