Note the client’s affect mode: Appropriate to situation Responds Normal

Assess the appropriate of the appropriately to

client’s response situation.
Assess quality of speech Understandable, Patient speaks Abnormal
moderate pace: clear slow and in low Patient finds
tone inflection; exhibits pitch it hard to
thought associations speak due to
pain felt.
Listen relevance and Logical sequence: Has sense of Normal
organization of thoughts makes sense; has sense reality
of reality

Skin

Inspect skin color Varies from light to Patient’s skin is Abnormal

deep brown; from yellow in color due to high
ruddy pink to light (Jaundice) level of
pink; from yellow bilirubin
overtones to olive
Assess uniformity of skin color Generally uniform Uniform skin Normal
excepts in areas color
exposed to the sun;
areas of lighter
pigmentation
(palm,lips,nails beds) in
dark skinned people