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WEEK 1: Philippine Nursing History
History does matter. This statement must
have been self-evident over the years, decades,
and centuries past. It is inescapable. Far from
being a ‘dull and boring’ subject, its depth
excitingly connects things through time and
encourages starters to take a long view of such
connections for a better understanding of their
chosen path.
Nursing in the Philippines has a deep and
enigmatic history. This article illustrates the
considerable weight and influence of nursing
history while at the same time disclosing the
challenges of applying the past to the present.
Early Beliefs & Practices
Two words—mysticism and superstitions. These
were the early beliefs of health and illness in
the Philippines. The cause of a disease was
primarily believed to be due to either another
person, whom which was an enemy, or a witch
or evil spirits. In the early times, Filipinos were
very cautious not to disturb other people or the
evil spirits for the good of their health. These
evil spirits could be driven away by persons with
power to banish demons. Belief in special gods
of healing, with the priest -physician (called
“word doctors”) as intermediary. If they used
leaves or roots, they were called herb doctors
(“herbolarios”) Filipinos who became sick were
usually cared for by the female family members
or friends in the home.
Early Care of the Sick
The early Filipinos subscribed to superstitious
belief and practices in relation to health and
sickness. Herb men were called “herbicheros”
meaning one who practiced witchcraft. Persons
suffering from diseases without any identified
cause were believed bewitched by
“mangkukulam” or “manggagaway”. Difficult
childbirth and some diseases (called “pamao”)
were attributed to “nunos”. Midwives assisted
in childbirth. During labor, the “mabuting hilot”
(good midwife) was called in. If the birth
became difficult, witches were supposed to be
the cause. To disperse their influence,
gunpowder was exploded from a bamboo cane
close to the head of the sufferer.
Health Care During the Spanish Regime
The context of nursing has manifested through
simple nutrition, wound care, and taking care of
an ill member of the family. Certain practices
when taking care of a sick individuals entails
interventions from babaylan (priest physicians)
or albularyo (herb doctor). In 1578, male nurses
were acknowledged as Spanish Friars’ assistants
for caring sick individuals in the hospital. These
male nurses were referred as practicante or
enfermero.
The religious orders exerted their efforts to care
for the sick by building hospitals in different
parts of the Philippines. The earliest hospitals
were:
1. Hospital Real de Manila (1577) – it was
established mainly to care for the
Spanish king’s soldiers, but also
admitted Spanish civilians; founded by
Gov. Francisco de Sande.
2. San Lazaro Hospital (1578) – founded
by Brother Juan Clemente and was
administered for many years by the
Hospitalliers of San Juan de Dios; built
exclusively for patients with leprosy.
3. Hospital de Indios (1586) – established
by the Franciscan Order; service was in
general supported by alms and
contributions from charitable persons.
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4. Hospital de Aguas Santas (1590) –
established in Laguna; near a medicinal
spring, founded by Brother J. Bautista of
the Franciscan Order.
5. San Juan de Dios Hospital
(1596) – founded by the Brotherhood of
Misericordia and administered by the
Hospitaliers of San Juan de Dios;
support was delivered from alms and
rents; rendered general health service
to the public.
Nursing During the Philippine Revolution
In the late 1890’s, the war between Philippines
and Spain emerges which resulted to significant
amount of casualties. With this, many women
have assumed the role of nurses in order to
assist the wounded soldiers. The emergence of
Filipina nurses brought about the development
of Philippines Red Cross.
1. Josephine Bracken — wife of Jose
Rizal, installed a field hospital in an
estate house in Tejeros. She provided
nursing care to the wounded night and
day.
2. Rosa Sevilla de Alvero — converted
their house into quarters for the Filipino
soldiers; during the Philippine-American
War that broke out in 1899
3. Dona Hilaria de Aguinaldo — wife of
Emilio Aguinaldo who organized that
Filipino Red Cross under the inspiration
of Mabini.
4. Dona Maria Agoncillo de Aguinaldo —
second wife of Emilio Aguinaldo;
provided nursing care to Filipino
soldiers during the revolution, President
of the Filipino Red Cross branch in
Batangas.
5. Melchora Aquino a.k.a. “Tandang
Sora” — nursed the wounded Filipino
soldiers and gave them shelter and
food.
6. Capitan Salome — a revolutionary
leader in Nueva Ecija; provided nursing
care to the wounded when not in
combat.
7. Agueda Kahabagan — revolutionary
leader in Laguna, also provided nursing
services to her troops.
8. Trinidad Tecson (“Ina ng Biak-na-Bato”)
— stayed in the hospital at Biak na Bato
to care for wounded soldiers.
Hospitals and Nursing Schools
Americans began training the first Filipino
nursing students in 1907. Nursing students in
the Philippines studied many of the same
subjects as nursing students in the U.S.
However, it was believed that the curriculum in
the Philippines “was never a mirror-image
reproduction of the American nursing
curriculum” and involved more than a simple
transfer of knowledge from American nurses to
Filipino nurses. The first Filipino nursing
students also studied subjects that were more
relevant to their patients, such as “the nursing
of tropical diseases” and “industrial and living
conditions in the islands,” as described by
Lavinia L. Dock’s 1912 book A History of
Nursing: From the Earliest Times to the Present
Day with Special Reference to the Work of the
Past Thirty Years.
Hospital School of Nursing’s Formal Training
(1901 – 1911)
Formal training in hospital school of nursing
transpires. This began when American
missionary doctors and nurses realized that
they manpower is insufficient. Thus, it resulted
to a decision of training Filipino nurses that
would be catering to the hospitals that
Americans established in the 20th century.
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The first hospital in the Philippines which in 1908, with Mother Melanie as
trained Filipino nurses in 1906 was Iloilo superintendent and Miss Chambers as Principal.
Mission Hospital, established by the Baptist
Philippine General Hospital School of Nursing
Missionaries. When this health institution was
(Manila, 1907)
built, there were no strict requirements for the
applicants if they are all willing to work. This has
been the beginning of development of more
nursing schools in the country. In this period,
Pensionado Act of 1903 (or Act 854) was
mandated, allowing Filipino nursing student to
study in United States. Among of the first wave
of nurses who went to United States.

Iloilo Mission Hospital School of Nursing (Iloilo

City, 1906)

PGH began in 1901 as a small dispensary for

It was ran by the Baptist Foreign Mission
Society of America. Miss Rose Nicolet, a
graduate of New England Hospital for Women
and Children in Boston, Massachusetts was the
first superintendent for nurses. It moved from
its present location to Jaro Road, Iloilo City in
1929. Miss Flora Ernst, an American nurse, took
charge of the school in 1942. In April 1944
graduate nurses took the first Nurses Board
Examination at the Iloilo Mission Hospital.
Saint Paul’s Hospital School of Nursing
(Manila, 1907)
The hospital was established by the Archbishop
of Manila, Jeremiah Harty under the supervision
of the Sisters of St. Paul de Chartres located in
Intramuros. It provided general hospital
services. It opened its training school for nurses
Civil officers and Employees in the City of
Manila and later grew as a Civil Hospital. In
1906, Mary Coleman Masters, an educator
advocated for the idea of training Filipino girls
for the profession of nursing with the approval
of Government officials, she first opened a
dormitory for Girls enrolled at the Philippine
Normal Hall and the University of the
Philippines.
In 1907, with the support of Governor
General Forbes and the Director of Health and
among others, she opened classes in nursing
under the Auspices of the Bureau of Education.
Admission was based on an entrance
examination. The applicant must have
completed elementary education to the seventh
grade. Julia Nichols and Charlotte Clayton
taught the students nursing subjects. American
physician also served as lecturers.
In 1910, the Act No. 1976 modified the
organization of the school placing it under the
supervision of the Department of Health. The
Civil Hospital was abolished, and the Philippine
General Hospital was established.
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St. Luke’s Hospital School of Nursing (Quezon
City, 1907)
The hospital is an Episcopalian Institution. It
began as a small dispensary in 1903. In 1907,
the school opened with three girls admitted.
These three girls had their first year in
combined classes with the PGH School of
Nursing and St. Paul’s Hospital School of
Nursing. Miss Helen Hicks was the first principal.
Mrs. Vitaliana Beltran was the first Filipino
superintendent of nurses and Dr. Jose Fores
was the first medical director of the hospital.
Mary Johnston Hospital and School of Nursing
(Manila, 1907)
It started as a small dispensary on Calle
Cervantes (now Avenida). It was called the
Bethany Dispensary and funded by the
Methodist Mission for the relief of suffering
among women and children. In 1907, Sister
Rebecca Parrish together with registered nurses
Rose Dudley and Gertude Dreisbach, organized
the Mary Johnston School of Nursing. The
nurses’ training course began with three Filipino
young girls fresh from elementary as their first
students.
Philippine Christian Mission Institute Schools of
Nursing
The United Christian Missionary Society of
Indianapolis, Indiana- a Protestant organization
of the disciples of Christ operated three schools
of nursing.
Sallie Long Read Memorial Hospital School of
Nursing (Laoag Ilocos Norte, 1903)
The Start of Nursing Practice (1911- 1921)
Promulgation of Act No. 2493 which amends
Medical Law (Act No. 310) allowing the
regulation of nursing practice transpired during
this period.  However, in 1919, the First True
Nursing Law was enacted through Act 2808.
During this period the Board Examiners for
Nursing was also created. The first nursing
board examination was given on 1920. The first
executive officer of the Board Examiners for
Nurses is a physician.
Mary Chiles Hospital School of Nursing
(Manila, 1911)
The hospital was established by Dr. WN
Lemon in a small house on Azcarraga, Sampaloc,
Manila. In 1913, Miss Mary Chiles of Montana
donated a large sum of money with which the
preset building at Gastambide was bought. The
Tuason Annex was donated by Miss Esperanza
Tuason, a Filipino Philanthropist.
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Frank Dunn Memorial Hospital (Vigan Ilocos
Sur, 1912)
San Juan de Dios Hospital School of Nursing
(Manila, 1913)
In 1913, through the initiative of Dr. Benito
Valdez, the board of inspectors and the
executive board of the hospital passed a
resolution to open school of nursing. The school
has been run by the Daughters of Charity since
then. Sister Taciana Tinanes was the first
Directress of the School.
Emmanuel Hospital School of Nursing (Capiz,
1913)
In 1913, the American Baptist Foreign
Mission Society sent Dr. PH Lerrigo to Capiz for
the purpose of opening a hospital. Miss Rose
Nicolet assisted him. The school offered a 3-
year training course for an annual fee of Php
100.00. Miss Clara Pedroso was the first
principal.
Southern Islands Hospital School of Nursing
(Cebu, 1918)
The hospital was established in 1911 under the
Bureau of Health. The school opened in 1918
with Anastacia Giron-Tupas as the organizer.
Miss Visitacion Perez was the first principal.
A Much-Established Professional Organization:
1921 – 1931
During this period, the precursor to the
accredited professional organization in the
Philippines was created. The Filipino Nurses
Association was established on October 15, and
the organization initiated the publication of
Filipino Nurse Journal. Later, this journal was
changed to The Philippine Journal of Nursing.
Amendment of certain sections of the Act 2008
was conducted in 1922 under Act 3025 passed
by the 5th Legislature. This policy is entitled An
Act Regulating the Practice of Nursing
Profession in the Philippine Islands, which
necessitates all nurses who are practicing the
profession to register yearly. In 1929, the
organization also became a member of the
International Council of Nurses.
Through the 1930s, Philippine schools of
nursing continued to adopt those aspects of
American professional nursing they deemed
relevant and appropriate, such as higher
admission standards and the specialization of
public health nursing.
Public Health Nursing Development:
1931  –  1941
In 1933, the nursing institution have
increased their requirement. During this period,
they have implemented that to enter nursing
education an applicant must be able to
complete secondary education. The first
collegiate nursing graduates of the Philippines
graduated from University of the Philippines
School of Public Health Nursing in 1938.
Other Schools of Nursing
1. Zamboanga General Hospital School of
Nursing (1921)
2. Chinese General Hospital School of Nursing
(1921)
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The Degree  of  Bachelor of Science in Nursing:
3. Baguio General Hospital School of Nursing 1941  –  1951
(1923)
A nursing curriculum which was based on
4. Manila Sanitarium Hospital and School of
the thesis presented by Julita V. Sotejo,
Nursing (1930)
graduate of the Philippine General Hospital
5. St. Paul School of Nursing in Iloilo City (1946)
School of Nursing, tackles on the development
6. North General Hospital and School of Nursing
of a nursing education within a university-based
(1946)
College of Nursing. This dissertation was the
7. Siliman University School of Nursing (1947)
beginning of nursing curriculum that have made
Nursing during World War II the Nursing Institution of the country as a
baccalaureate course. During this period,
With the occurrence of the largest and most
College of Nursing was also created.
violent armed conflict in the history of
mankind, there was a re-emergence of nursing When the Japanese occupied the Philippines
needs as well as new programs to entice in 1942, training and practice at the hospital
women into training. In the US, the government schools of nursing in Manila was “violently
empowered the women to contribute. In fact, disrupted.”  However, U.S. colonial patterns in
more women worked outside of the home Philippine nursing education soon returned
and as well as growth opportunities involving after the U.S. reclaimed the country in 1945 and
nurses multiplied. even after the Philippines gained independence
from the U.S. July 4, 1946.
While in the Philippines, World War II
made public health nurses in Manila assigned to The First  Colleges of Nursing in the Philippines
devastated areas to attend the sick and the
University of Santo Tomas-College of Nursing
wounded. A year after, thirty-one nurses who
(1946)
were taken prisoners of war by the Japanese
army and confined at the Bilibid Prison in In its first year of existence, its enrollees were
Manila were released to the Director of the consisted of students from different school of
Bureau of Health. And just like in the US, a lot of nursing who studied were interrupted by the
public health nurses joined the guerillas or went war. In 1947, the Bureau of Private Schools
to hide in the mountains during this time. permitted UST to grant the title Graduate Nurse
to the 21 students who were of advanced
In 1946, post war records of Bureau of Health
standing from 1948 up to the present. The
showed that there were 308 public health
college has offered excellent education leading
nurses and 38 supervisors compared to the pre-
to a baccalaureate degree. Sor Taciana Trinanes
war 556 public health nurses and 38
was its first directress. Presently, Associate
supervisors. It was in the same year when the
Professor Glenda A. Vargas, RN, MAN serves as
creation of the Nursing Office in the
its dean.
Department of Health was recommended by
Mrs. Genera De Guzman, technical assistant in
nursing of the DOH and the President of the
Filipino Nurses Association.
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Manila Central University-College of Nursing
(1947)
The MCU Hospital first offered BSN and
Doctor of Medicine degrees in 1947 and served
as the clinical field for practice. Miss Consuelo
Gimeno was its first principal. Presently,
Professor Lina A. Salarda, RN, MAN, EdD serves
as its dean.
University of the Philippines Manila-College of
Nursing (1948)
The idea of opening the college began in a
conference between Miss Julita Sotejo and UP
President. In April 1948, the University Council
approved the curriculum, and the Board of
Regents recognized the profession as having an
equal standing as Medicine, Engineering etc.
Miss Julita Sotejo was its first dean. Presently,
Professor Josefina A. Tuason, RN, MAN, DrPh is
once more reappointed as the Dean of UP
Manila College of Nursing.
Proliferation of Nurses as a Workforce:
1951  –  1971
The Philippine Nursing Law was approved
under the Republic Act No. 877 on June 19,
1953. Then further amendment was created in
1966 which limits that practice of among nurses
21 years old and above. The increasing number
of nurses in the Philippines have also brought
about the celebration of Nurses’ Week which
was proclaimed by President Carlos P. Garcia
under the Proclamation No. 539. The
continuous of nurses had also resulted to the
first round of migration, particularly in United
States. In fact, between 1966 and 1985 about
25,000 Filipino nurses have migrated to United
States.
Nursing Profession Development: 1971  –  2001
Regulation of the practice of health care
providers, the Presidential Decree No. 223, was
mandated which brought about the
establishment of the agency, Professional
Regulation Commission. During this period, the
Philippine Nursing Act of 1991 was also
amended under Republic Act No. 7164 which
expanded nursing practice to other roles such
as management, teaching, decision making, and
leadership. The qualification of nurses or
faculty’s in the academe was also updated to
Master’s Degree in Nursing or equivalent.
Another important event in Philippine Nursing
history is the creation of Nursing Certification
Council in 1999 under the Board of Nursing
through Resolution No. 14 which supervise the
new programs’ implementation conducted by
Specialty Certification Boards. This
improvement also prompted the start of
Advanced Practice Nursing (APN) in the
Philippines.
Further Changes in Nursing Law: 2001- to
Present
During this period, the Philippine Nursing Act
of 2002 was enacted under the Republic Act No.
9173 which entails changes on existing policies
under Republic Act No. 7164. These changes
underscore on the requirements for faculty and
Dean of the Colleges of Nursing, as well as the
conduct for Nursing Licensure Exam.
In a glance
College of Nursing
1. UST College of Nursing – 1st College of
Nursing in the Phils: 1877
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2. MCU College of Nursing – June 1947

1921

 Filipino Nurses Association was

established (now PNA) as the National
Organization Of Filipino Nurses

 PNA: 1st President – Rosario Delgado

 Founder – Anastacia Giron-Tupas

(1st College who offered BSN – 4-year 1953 
program)
 Republic Act 877, known as the
3. UP College of Nursing – June 1948 “Nursing Practice Law” was approved.
4. FEU Institute of Nursing – June 1955 Though it was not always considered as a
profession, Nursing has already been existing
5. UE College of Nursing – Oct 1958
for centuries. Its significance of today will
1909 definitely not be proven real if not because of
its remarkable history. And now, the value of
 3 females graduated as “qualified
Nursing has stood the test of time and is
medical-surgical nurses”
becoming more visible in the eyes of many not
1919 only because of its past, but also due to its
considerable contribution in the society.
 The 1st Nurses Law (Act#2808) was
enacted regulating the practice of the
nursing profession in the
Philippines Islands. It also provided the
holding of exam for the practice of
nursing on the 2nd Monday of June and
December of each year.

1920

 1st board examination for nurses was

conducted by the Board of Examiners,
93 candidates took the exam, 68 passed
with the highest rating of 93.5%-Anna
Dahlgren

 Theoretical exam was held at the UP

Amphitheater of the College of
Medicine and Surgery. Practical exam at
the PGH Library.
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WEEK 1: Nursing as a Profession

Profession

An occupation that requires extensive CRITERIA OF A PROFESSION

education or a calling that requires special
• Specialized education
knowledge, skills and preparation.
• Body of knowledge
Since the beginning of the 20 th century,
nursing has been a much-studied profession. • Service orientation
Early studies dealt with nursing education; later
studies dealt with the image of nursing, nurses • On-going research
themselves, and with nursing’s role in health • Code of ethics
care delivery.
• Autonomy
As nursing has developed as a profession,
more attention has been directed to • Professional organization
establishing a unique classification and PERSONAL & PROFESSIONAL QUALITIES OF A
nomenclature for nursing. Efforts are made to NURSE
do this on an international basis.
• Good communication skills
Nursing as a profession has many traditions,
some of which are being challenged today. • Caring nature
Among the traditions are the pin, the cap, the
• Empathetic
uniform, and nursing ceremonies.
• Adaptable

• Emotional stability

• Physical & mental endurance

• Organizational skills

• Ethics

• Detail oriented

• Critical thinking skills

• Open mindedness

•Respectfulness

• Assertiveness

• Reliability

• Compassion

• Team player
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• Pediatric Nurse

• Geriatric Nurse

Field of Nursing (Specialties) • Public HeaOncology Nurse

• Dialysis Nurse • Clinical Nurse

• Legal Nurse Consultant • ER Nurse

• Nurse Midwife • Infection Control Nurse

• Nurse Anesthetist • QI Nurse

• Nurse Case Manager • Patient Safety Officer

• Nurse Educator • Nurse informaticist nurse

• Nurse practitioner Fields of Nursing (Occupation)

• Nurse Researcher • Institutional Nursing

• Informatics Nurse • Public Health Nursing

• Travel Nurse • Private Duty Nursing

• Chief Nursing Officer • Occupational/

• Nursing Administrator Industrial Nursing

• Critical Care Nurse • Nursing Education

• Diabetes Nurse • Military Nursing

• Family Nurse Practitioner • School Nursing

• Health Policy Nurse • Independent Nursing

• Medical Surgical Nurse Practice

• Nurse Advocate • Clinic nurse

• Nurse Attorney

• Pain Management Nurse

• Peri anesthesia Nurse

• Psychiatric Nurse

• Trauma Nurse

• Orthopedic Nurse

• Neonatal Nurse
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WEEK 1: Nursing as an Art & Science • Trial and error – a method in which a number
of solutions is found.
Nursing as Science
- This method is dangerous in nursing care
“If a patient is cold, if a patient is feverish, if
because the client might suffer harm if the
a patient is faint, if he is sick after taking food, if
approach used is not appropriate.
he has a bed-sore, it is generally the not of the
disease, but of the nursing”

- Florence Nightingale. • Intuition– the understanding or learning of

things without the conscious use of reasoning;
Critical thinking & clinical reasoning
also known as sixth sense, hunch instinct,
Critical thinking – the process of intentional feeling or suspicion.
higher-level thinking to define a client’s
- It is viewed by some people as a form of
problem, examine the evidence – based
guessing, an inappropriate basis for nursing
practice in caring for the client, and make
care.
choices in the delivery of care.
- Others view intuition as an essential and
Clinical reasoning is the cognitive process
legitimate aspect of clinical judgment acquired
that uses thinking strategies to gather and
through knowledge and experience.
analyze client information, evaluate the
relevance of the information, and decide on
possible nursing actions to improve the client’s
• Research Process – a formalized, logical,
physiological and psychological outcomes.
systematic approach in problem solving.
Both critical thinking and clinical reasoning
- It enables nurses to be the patient’s advocate
are used in nursing practice, especially in
and provide the best possible care based on
problem solving and nursing process.
findings presented in research.
A. Problem solving

Problem solving is the process of

recognizing a problem, defining it, identifying
alternative plans to resolve the problem,
selecting a plan, organizing steps of the plan,
implementing the plan, and evaluating the
outcome.
Problem solving requires the nurse to obtain
information that clarifies the nature of the
problem and suggests a possible solution.
“The difficult is that which can be done
immediately, the impossible that which takes a
little longer”.
B. Nursing Process
Systematic, rational method of planning and
providing individualized nursing care; a
problem-solving framework for planning and
delivering nursing care to patients and their
families.

Approaches used in problem solving

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• A way of thinking as a nurse.
• A framework of interrelated activities
resulting in competent nursing care.
• Dynamic and cyclical in nature.
• A scientific, problem-oriented approach to
patient care.
ASSESSMENT
Collecting, organizing and communicating /
recording client data; to establish data base
about the client’s response to health concerns
or illness and the ability to manage health care
needs
Purpose: to establish a database
Activities:
• Obtain health history
• Perform physical assessment
• Review records, e.g. laboratory records, other
health care records
• Interview support persons
• Review literature
• Validate assessment data
ASSESSMENT (DATA COLLECTION) =
OBSERVATION + INTERVIEW + EXAMINATION
TYPES OF DATA
Subjective data – also referred to as symptoms
or covert data; apparent only to the person
affected and can be described or verified only
by that person.
e.g. – itching pain, feelings of worry include
client’s sensations, feelings, values, beliefs,
attitudes and perception of personal health
status and life situations.
e.g. – “I feel weak all over when I exert myself.”
Problem: fever
Subjective cues: “Mainit ang pakiramdam ko”
Objective data – also referred to as signs or
overt data; detectable by an observer or can be
tested against an accepted standard; can be
seen by observation or physical examination
e.g. – discoloration of the skin, BP reading
Example: objective cues: skin is warm to touch;
temp. is 38.9 C/ax
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METHODS OF DATA COLLECTION
• Observing - using the five senses; a conscious
deliberate skill that is developed only through
effort and with an organized approach.
• Interview - a planned communication or
conversation with a purpose.
Two approaches:
a. direct interview - highly structured and elicit
specific information by asking closed questions
that call for a specific amount of data.
b. nondirective - the nurse allows the client to
control the purpose, subject matter and pacing
RAPPORT is the understanding between two or
more people.
SOURCES OF DATA
Primary source - client (best source of data)
Secondary sources – indirect sources
e.g. – family members, support people client
records (medical records, records of therapies
by other health professionals and laboratory
records), health care professionals, literature.
Kinds of interview questions
Closed questions - restrictive and generally
require only short answers giving specific
information; often begin with when, where,
who, what, do, does, did.
Open-ended questions - lead or invite clients to
explore their thoughts or feelings; allow clients
the freedom to talk; broad, specifies only the
topic to be discussed and invites answers longer
than one or two words.
Neutral question - without direction or pressure
from the nurse used in non-directive interview.
Leading questions – usually closed leading to a
direct answer.
PLANNING THE INTERVIEW AND SETTING
Time - need to be scheduled when the client is
comfortable and free of pain
Place - must have adequate privacy to promote
communication
Seating arrangement
Distance - most people feel comfortable 3 to 4
ft apart during an interview
DATA BASE
• all the information about a client (past and
present)
1. nursing health history
2. physical assessment
3. primary care provider’s history
4. physical examination
5. laboratory and diagnostic results
STAGES OF AN INTERVIEW
Opening - most important; sets the tone of the
remainder of the interview.
• Establish rapport - process of creating good
will and trust.
Orientation - explaining the purpose and nature
of the interview.
Body - client communicates what he or she
thinks, feels, knows.
and perceives in response to questions from the
nurse.
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Closing - important in maintaining rapport and
trust established during the interview and in
facilitating future interactions.
COMPONENTS OF NURSING HISTORY

• Biographic Data
• Chief Complaint or Reason for visit
• History of Present Illness
• Past Health History
• Family History of Illness
• Lifestyle
• Social Data
• Psychological Data
• Patterns of Health Care
Physical Examination
- Head to toe assessment is done upon
admission
• A systematic data collection method that uses
observation to detect health problem
• Uses Inspection, Palpation, Percussion and
Auscultation
• Carried out systematically, CEPHALOCAUDAL
(head-to-toe approach) or SCREENING
EXAMINATION (review of system).
Diagnostic tests Laboratory investigations
- A type of test used to help diagnose a disease
or condition. Also called diagnostic procedure.
Mammograms and colonoscopies are examples
of diagnostic tests.
A laboratory (lab) test is a procedure in
which a health care provider takes a sample of y
blood, urine, other bodily fluid, or body tissue
to get information about health. Some lab tests
are used to help diagnose, screen, or monitor a
specific disease or condition.