INTRODUCTION TO PHYSICAL

ASSESSMENT
PREPARED AND PRESENTED BY:
JOMAR P. RONQUILLO, RN
For CC BSN I (HEALTH ASSESSMENT SUBJ.)
Good Afternoon, Future
Nurses! 
PHYSICAL HEALTH ASSESSMENT
 A complete health assessment may be
conducted starting at the head and
proceeding in a systematic manner
downward.
 Frequently, the nurse assesses a specific body
part instead of the entire body.
PURPOSES OF PHYSICAL
EXAMINATION
 To obtain baseline data about the client’s
functional abilities
 To supplement, confirm, and refute datea
obtained in the nursing health hx
 To evaluate physiologic outcomes of health
care
PREPARING THE CLIENT
 Explain!!!
PREPARING THE CLIENT
 Assist the client
PREPARING THE CLIENT
 Be aware of cultural and age-related
differences
PREPARING THE ENVIRONMENT
EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES
PENLIGHT
NASAL SPECULUM
OPHTHALMOSCOPE
OTOSCOPE
PERCUSSION HAMMER
TUNING FORK
VAGINAL SPECULUM
COTTON TIP APPLICATORS
GLOVES
LUBRICANT
TONGUE BLADES
POSITIONING
DORSAL RECUMBENT
SUPINE POSITION
SITTING POSITION
LITHOTOMY
SIMS
PRONE
METHODS OF EXAMINING
INSPECTION
INSPECTION
 Is visual examination, assessing using the
sense of sight
 The nurse inspects with the eye or uses
lighted instruments
 Lighting must be sufficient
PALPATION
 Is the examination of the body using the
sense of touch
 The pads of the fingers are used
 What do we determine with palpation?
 Two types:
 Light
 Deep
LIGHT PALPATION
LIGHT PALPATION
DEEP PALPATION
DEEP PALPATION
DEEP PALPATION
GENERAL GUIDELINES FOR
PALPATION
 Deep palpation is not routinely done!
 Skin temperature: Dorsum or palmar surface?
 Nurse’s hands should be clean and warm
 Proper sequencing of areas to be palpated
 The effectiveness of the palpation depends
largely on the client’s relaxation.
PALPATION (ACTUAL)
PERCUSSION
PERCUSSION
 The act of striking the body surface to elicit
sounds that can be heard or vibrations that
can be felt.
 Two types:
 Direct
 Indirect
PERCUSSION
 INDIRECT PERCUSSION:
 Pleximeter
 Plexor
SOUNDS ELICITED UPON
PERCUSSION
 Flatness
 Dullness
 Resonance
 Hyperresonance
 Tympany
FLATNESS
DULLNESS
RESONANCE
HYPERRESONANCE
TYMPANY
PERCUSSION (ACTUAL VIDEO)
PERCUSSION (ACTUAL VIDEO2)
AUSCULTATION
AUSCULTATION
 Is the process of listening to sounds produced
within the body.
 May be DIRECT or INDIRECT
STETHOSCOPE
AUSCULTATION
 Auscultated sounds are described according
to:
 Pitch
 Intensity
 Duration
 Quality
GENERAL SURVEY
GENERAL SURVEY
 Health assessment begins with a general
survey:
 Observation of the client’s general appearance
 Mental status
 Vital signs
 Height
 Weight
VITAL SIGNS
VITAL SIGNS
HEIGHT AND WEIGHT
HEIGHT AND WEIGHT
 In adults, the ratio of weight to height
provides a general measure of health.
 It is also important to ask the client about
their height and weight before measuring
them.
MEASURING THE HEIGHT
MEASURING THE WEIGHT
OTHER WEIGHING SCALES