Purpose

Developing and demonstrating advanced assessment skills are essential for a safe and competent healthcare professional. Accurate assessment skills are pivotal skills in nursing and demonstrated in competency, critical thinking and improved patient outcomes. Reflective practice improves the ability to reflect on actions and engage in a process of continuous learning.

Task details

This assessment is designed to apply and consolidate learning in relation to describing and interpreting a single system assessment and relate your discussion to the underlying physiology.

Applying the learning outcomes from clinical practice, the online learning modules and suggested readings, you are required to:

– Describe a detailed assessment with a focus on a single system (i.e. cardiac neurological, respiratory) providing a clear description of a comprehensive assessment of your chosen system.

– For each assessment briefly describe the relevant physiology.

– Provide a brief description of the main factors that can influence each assessment identified.

Instructions

Suggested format of your assignment

Introduction 50 words

– Outline scope/intention of the paper, identify the system to be assessed and what will be discussed.

Body 400 words

– Comprehensively describe the relevant assessments of your chosen system assessment.

(i.e. a cardiac assessment would include pulses, heart sounds, blood pressure, heart rate and rhythm, JVP. Capillary refill.

– Discuss the relevant physiology of each assessment.

(i.e. for heart sounds you are listening for lub dub that represents the opening and closing of the heart valves in systole and diastole)

– A brief description of the factors that could cause abnormal findings for each assessments discussed.

(i.e. extra heart sounds or murmurs can be heard in the setting of valvular abnormalities and filling of a noncompliant ventricle)

Conclusion 50 words

– Summary of your paper, what have you discussed throughout.

References: 3-5 minimum references required (APA 7 referencing style)