Health Assessment and Therapeutic Communication

Flashcards covering key terms and definitions related to health assessments, nursing process, active listening, and symptom analysis.

Active Listening

A communication method involving repeating back what a patient said, asking clarifying questions, nodding, and maintaining eye contact to confirm understanding.

Elder Speak

Patronizing language or terms of endearment, such as "honey," used toward older adults, which creates a barrier to effective communication.

False Reassurance

A communication barrier occurring when a caregiver makes unsupported claims like "it's all gonna be okay" when the outcome is unknown.

Nursing Process

A framework for patient care structured around Assessment, Diagnosis, Planning, Implementation, and Evaluation (ADPIE).

Focused Health Assessment

An assessment that zeroes in specifically on the specific problem or body system a patient presents with.

Comprehensive Health Assessment

A thorough health assessment conducted when a patient enters a facility, such as moving into long-term care.

Functional Health Assessment

An assessment that measures a patient's ability to perform daily activities, such as dressing, making food, and getting to the bathroom.

Baseline Assessment

An initial measurement and gathering of patient data used to establish their starting status.

Subjective Data

Information reported directly by the patient regarding what they feel or experience, also known as symptoms.

Objective Data

Information that a healthcare professional directly observes and can measure, such as blood pressure or heart rate.

Primary Source

Information gathered directly from the patient.

Secondary Source

Information obtained secondhand, such as from medical records or another caregiver.

Medical Diagnosis

A diagnosis focused on identifying a specific disease to apply medical protocols and treatment.

Nursing Diagnosis

A diagnosis focused on identifying and addressing a patient's physical and emotional responses to a health problem.

Symptom Analysis

The process of thoroughly probing and gathering comprehensive details about a symptom reported by a patient.

OLD CARTS

A mnemonic for symptom analysis that stands for Onset, Location, Duration, Character, Aggravating factors, Relieving factors, Timing, and Severity.