Nursing Fundamentals and Physical Assessment Study Cards

Flashcards covering key professional nursing standards, communication techniques, ethics, delegation, and physical assessment concepts.

What are the ANA Standards of Professional Nursing Practice?

Standards that guide safe, competent, and professional nursing practice and describe what nurses should do in providing patient care.

What is the primary function of the ANA Code of Ethics?

It provides ethical principles and values for nurses, guiding them in making ethical decisions and protecting patients.

What are Nurse Practice Acts?

State laws that define the scope of nursing practice, establish what nurses are legally allowed to do, and help protect patients and nurses.

What are the four essential communication techniques in nursing?

Active listening, Clarification, Reflection, and Silence.

How is reflection defined as a communication technique?

Repeating or restating what the patient said to confirm understanding.

What are the key elements required for building therapeutic relationships with patients?

Establishing trust and respect, maintaining professional boundaries, showing empathy, maintaining confidentiality, using active listening, and focusing on the patient's needs.

What is therapeutic communication?

Communication that promotes trust and helps meet the patient's needs.

What does each letter in the ADPIE nursing process stand for?

A — Assessment (Collect patient information), D — Diagnosis (Identify patient problems), P — Planning (Set goals and determine interventions), I — Implementation (Carry out nursing interventions), E — Evaluation (Determine whether goals were met).

What does each letter in the AIDET communication technique represent?

A — Acknowledge (Recognize the patient), I — Introduce (State your name and role), D — Duration (Explain how long something will take), E — Explanation (Explain what you are doing), T — Thank (Thank the patient).

What information should be transferred during hand-off reporting?

Patient identification, current condition, important assessment findings, medications/treatments, safety concerns, changes in condition, and what needs to be done next.

What does SBAR stand for in documentation and communication?

S — Situation (What is happening now?), B — Background (What relevant history or information is needed?), A — Assessment (What do you think is happening?), R — Recommendation (What should happen next?).

How is competency defined in nursing practice?

The ability to safely and effectively perform nursing responsibilities based on knowledge, skills, and judgment.

What is delegation in nursing?

Assigning a nursing task to another qualified person while maintaining appropriate accountability.

What considerations must a nurse make before delegating a task?

Consider whether the task is appropriate to delegate, if the person is competent to perform it, if the patient is stable, if clear instructions are given, and if appropriate supervision is provided.

What is the difference between beneficence and non-maleficence in nursing ethics?

Beneficence means to do good and act for the patient's benefit. Non-maleficence means to do no harm and avoid causing unnecessary harm or injury.

What are the six steps in ethical decision making in order?

1. Identify the ethical issue. 2. Gather relevant information. 3. Identify the patient's values and preferences. 4. Consider possible actions and consequences. 5. Make a decision. 6. Evaluate the outcome.

How do ethical issues differ from legal issues?

Ethical issues involve what is right, wrong, fair, or morally appropriate. Legal issues involve laws and regulations where violations can result in legal consequences.

What are the four components of a physical assessment?

Inspection, Palpation, Percussion, and Auscultation.

What are the four types of physical assessment?

Comprehensive (complete assessment of the patient), Focused (assessment of a specific problem or body system), Emergency (rapid assessment to identify immediate threats to life), and Ongoing (repeated assessment to monitor changes).

What are the three types of palpation?

Light palpation (assesses surface characteristics), Deep palpation (assesses deeper structures), and Bimanual palpation (uses both hands).

What causes normal S1 and S2 heart sounds?

S1 ("Lub") is caused by the closure of the mitral and tricuspid valves. S2 ("Dub") is caused by the closure of the aortic and pulmonic valves.

What are the four abnormal lung sounds and their descriptions?

Crackles (popping sounds), Wheezes (high-pitched musical sounds), Rhonchi (low-pitched, coarse sounds), and Stridor (high-pitched sound associated with upper-airway obstruction).

Which statement describes sounds that can sometimes be cleared by coughing?

loud, low-pitched, rumbling, course sounds