Chapter 1: Understanding Health Assessment

primary health promotion

health promotion strategies; things done to prevent illness

secondary health promotion

early screenings, detection, and treatment of diseases

tertiary health promotion

restoration of health after illness or disease

health assessment

collects, validates, and clusters data to assess the whole patient

objective data

what you observe and measure (ex. bp)

subjective data

what the pt says (symptoms)

nursing process

the foundation of holistic, patient-centered care and is a critical responsibility of the RN

five steps of the nursing process

1. assessment (most important)

2. diagnosis

3. planning/outcomes

4. implementation

5. evaluation

intuitive thinking

“gut feeling” about what may be occurring in a pt situation

psychomotor skills

the “doing” process of assessment

what are the four assessment techniques:

1. inspection (eyes)

2. percussion (tapping)

3. palpation (feeling with hands)

4. listening (stethoscope)