The complete subjective health assessment is commonly referred to as a . It provides an overview of the client’s current and past health and illness state. You conduct it by interviewing the client as illustrated in Figure 1.1, asking them questions, and listening to their narrative. Figure 1.1: Nurse interviewing the clientThis information is often shared verbally with you or in the way that the client can best communicate. It is also sometimes collected through a standardized form that the client completes. In some cases, it also includes information shared by a family member, friend, or another health professional when the client is unable to communicate.
Clients are sometimes accompanied by . Care partners are family and friends who are involved in helping to care for the client. You may hear care partners being referred to as “informal caregivers” or “family caregivers,” but “care partner” is a more inclusive term that acknowledges the energy, work, and importance of their role. The complete subjective health assessment is part of assessment, the first component of the nursing process (assessment, analysis/diagnosis, planning, implementation and evaluation) outlined in Figure 1.2. Figure 1.2: The nursing processAs illustrated in Figure 1.2, the assessment phase of the nursing process involves collecting (information that the client shares) and (information that you collect when performing a physical exam). See Table 1.1 for an overview and examples of subjective and objective data. This book focuses on subjective data collection in the context of the complete subjective health assessment.
Table 1.1: Overview and examples of subjective and objective data As the word “subjective” suggests, this type of data refers to information that is spontaneously shared with you by the client or is in response to questions that you ask the client. Subjective data can include information about both symptoms and signs. In the context of subjective data, are something that the client feels, as illustrated in Figure 1.3 (e.g., nausea, pain, fatigue). You won’t know about a symptom unless the client tells you. are something that the health professional can observe, such as a rash, bruising, or skin perspiration, also illustrated in Figure 1.3. Although you can observe signs, in the context of a subjective assessment, the client shares this subjective information with you. For example, a rash is both subjective and objective data as it could be something that the client shares with you, but it is also something that you can observe. On the other hand, if the client says that the rash is itchy, that would be considered subjective data and, in this case, it would be a symptom because it is something the client feels and you can’t observe. Figure 1.3: Symptom versus sign A term often used in reference to, or in place of, the complete subjective health assessment. Care partners are family and friends who are involved in helping to care for the client Information that the client shares with the health professional. Information that the health professional collects when performing a physical exam. Something that the client feels. Something that the health professional observes.
Purpose: To establish a data base (all the information about the client):
4 Types of Assessment: a. Initial assessment – assessment performed within a specified time on admission Ex: nursing admission assessment b. Problem-focused assessment – use to determine status of a specific problem identified in an earlier assessment Ex: problem on urination-assess on fluid intake & urine output hourly c. Emergency assessment – rapid assessment done during any physiologic/physiologic crisis of the client to identify life threatening problems. Ex: assessment of a client’s airway, breathing status & circulation after a cardiac arrest. d. time-lapsed assessment – reassessment of client’s functional health pattern done several months after initial assessment to compare the clients current status to baseline data previously obtained. Activities:
Assessment = Observation of the patient + Interview of patient, family & SO + examination of the patient + Review of medical record I. Collection of data
Types of Data:
Example: pain, dizziness, ringing of ears/Tinnitus
Example: pallor, diaphoresis, BP=150/100, yellow discoloration of skin Methods of Data Collection:
Source of data:
In the Assessment Phase, obtain a Nursing Health History – a structured interview designed to collect specific data and to obtain a detailed health record of a client. Components of a Nursing Health History:
II. Validation of Data – the act of “double-checking” or verifying data to confirm that it is accurate and complete. Purposes of data validation:
Cues – subjective or objective data observed by the nurse; it is what the client says, or what the nurse can see, hear, feel, smell or measure. Inferences – the nurse interpretation or conclusion based on the cues. Example: red, swollen wound = infected wound III. Organization of Data – uses a written or computerized format that organizes assessment data systematically. – Maslow’s basic needs – Body System Model – Gordon’s Functional Health Patterns:
IV. Analyze data – compare data against standard and identify significant cues. Standard/norm are generally accepted measurements, model, pattern: Ex: Normal vital signs, standard Weight and Height, normal laboratory/diagnostic values, normal growth and development pattern V. Communicate/Record/Document Data
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