Health Assessment PQRSTU Flashcards

PQRSTU Health Assessment Components

• P (Provocative or Palliative): Investigates factors that trigger or relieve symptoms.

• Questions to consider: What were you doing when you noticed the symptom? What makes it better or worse?

• Q (Quality or Quantity): Assesses the characteristics of the symptom.

• Asks about the look, feel, or sound of the symptom and its intensity or severity.

• R (Region or Radiation): Identifies the location of the symptom.

• Explores whether the symptom is localized or if it radiates to other areas.

• S (Severity Scale): Measures the intensity of the symptom.

• Utilizes a scale from 1 to 10 to quantify severity and gauges if symptoms are improving, worsening, or remaining the same.

• T (Timing): Determines the timing and frequency of the symptom.

• Covers onset (when it first occurred), duration (how long it lasts), and frequency (how often it happens).

• U (Understand Patient’s Perception): Evaluates the patient’s viewpoint of the problem.

• Encourages patients to express their interpretation of the symptoms and their significance.

• Mnemonic Order: The components of the health assessment tool are structured as PQRSTU.