DE LA SALLE MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES INSTITUTE

College of Nursing
Dasmariñas City, Cavite

PERFORMANCE CHECKLIST
PHYSICAL ASSESSMENT: HEAD AND NECK

NAME OF STUDENT: YEAR & SEC.: GRADE:

NOT
PROCEDURE / DONE
DONE ABNORMAL REMARKS
TECHNIQUES FINDINGS
1. Gather equipment (gloves, small glass of water,
stethoscope).
2. Explain procedure to client.
3. Position the patient (sits the patient erect, knees
together, palms on the thighs,
feet flat on the Floor. Patient leans forward, not
slouching)
HEAD
1. Inspect head for size, shape, and configuration.
2. Palpate head for consistency while wearing gloves.
3. Inspect face for symmetry, features, movement,
expression, and skin condition.
4. Palpate temporal artery for tenderness and
elasticity.
5. Inspect and palpate parotid and submandibular
glands.
6. Palpate temporomandibular joint for range of
motion, swelling, tenderness, or crepitation by
placing index finger over the front of each and
asking client to open
the mouth.
NECK
1. Inspect neck while it is in a slightly extended
position for position, symmetry, presence of
masses, bruits, scars, tenderness, crepitation and
temperature
2. Inspect the thyroid and cricoid cartilages.
3. Inspect cervical vertebrae by having client flex
neck.
4. Inspect neck range of motion by having client turn
chin to right and left shoulders,
touch each ear to the shoulder, touch chin to
chest, and lift chin towards ceiling.
5. Palpate trachea by placing finger in the sternal
notch, feeling each side, and palpating the
tracheal rings.
6. Palpate thyroid gland. Evaluate thyroid mobility by
asking client to swallow.
7. Auscultate thyroid gland for bruits if the gland is
enlarged (Use bell of
stethoscope.)
8. Palpate lymph nodes for size/shape,
delimitation, mobility, consistency, and
tenderness.
A. Preauricular nodes
B. Postauricular nodes
C. Occipital nodes
D. Tonsillar nodes
E. Submandibular nodes
F. Submental nodes
G. Superficial cervical nodes
H. Posterior cervical nodes
I. Deep cervical chain nodes
J. Supraclavicular nodes
Document findings.
TOTAL

STUDENT’S SIGNATURE EVALUATOR’S SIGNATURE OVER PRINTED NAME