Physical Assessment for Nurses and Healthcare Professionals

Book excerpt: Physical Assessment for Nurses and Healthcare Professionals offers a practical and comprehensive guide to best clinical practice when taking patient history and physical examination. This accessible text is structured in accordance with the competencies for advanced practice in assessment, diagnosis and treatment as published by the RCN. Following a systematic, systems-based approach to patient assessment, it includes a summary of the key clinical skills needed to develop and improve clinical examination in order to confidently assess, diagnose, plan and provide outstanding care. In this revised edition, colour photographs and case studies have been included to assist health care practitioners in their assessment of the patient. This important guide: Includes a highly visual colour presentation with photographs and illustrations Features a wide range of key learning points to help guide practice Offers illustrative examples, applications to practice and case studies Written for health care students, newly qualified and advanced nurse practitioners, and those in the allied health professions, Physical Assessment for Nurses and Healthcare Professionals is the essential guide for developing the skills needed to accurately access patient history and physical examination.