VII.

GENERAL SURVEY

General Appearance Normal Findings Actual Findings Interpretation and

and Mental Status Analysis
Signs of distress in
posture or facial No distress noted No distress noted NORMAL
expression
Height:
Weight:
Body built, height, and Proportionate, varies BMI:
weight in relation to client’s with lifestyle.
age, lifestyle and health Client’s BMI ….
Category. The client’s
body build is …..
DEVIATION FROM
NORMAL
Kyphosis is the major bone-
related alteration associated
with aging is the depletion
of calcium. This transition
starts between the ages of 30
and 40. Skeletal bones grow
Relaxed, erect
Posture and gait, standing, smaller and relatively
posture, coordinated Kyphotic posture
sitting, and walking weaker with each
movement
subsequent decade. This
disorder impairs mobility,
increasing the probability of
falls and injuries.

Gerontologic Nursing 6th

Edition, Meiner S. & Yeager
J., p. 37
Overall hygiene and
Clean Clean NORMAL
grooming
No body or breath No body or breath
Body and breath odor NORMAL
odor odor
Obvious signs of health or
Healthy appearance Healthy appearance NORMAL
illness

Attitude Cooperative Cooperative NORMAL

Appropriate to Appropriate to
Affect/mood NORMAL
situation situation
 Understandable, Understandable,
Quantity, quality, and moderate pace, moderate pace,
NORMAL
organization of speech exhibits thought exhibits thought
association. association.
DEVIATION FROM
NORMAL.

Many elderly people, who

are often confused, probably
interpret their surroundings
incorrectly. An elderly
Telling some person who does not hear
Logical sense, makes
Relevance and organization irrelevant statement or well or see well can commit
sense, has sense of
of thoughts indirectly related errors, not because of
reality.
ideas. confusion, but because the
person does not have
enough sensory information
to make a good decision.

Gerontologic Nursing 6th

Edition, Meiner S. & Yeager
J., p. 182