Physical Assessment Study Guide PDF
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This document provides a study guide on physical assessment techniques. It covers vital signs, including temperature, respiratory rate, pulse, and blood pressure. The guide also explains the four fundamental physical assessment techniques: inspection, palpation, percussion, and auscultation.
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Vital signs Purpose and Importance Physical assessment enables healthcare providers to obtain valid information about a patient's health status. For pharmacists, understanding physical assessment is crucial for information collection and evaluating patient response to therapy. Four Fundamental Phys...
Vital signs Purpose and Importance Physical assessment enables healthcare providers to obtain valid information about a patient's health status. For pharmacists, understanding physical assessment is crucial for information collection and evaluating patient response to therapy. Four Fundamental Physical Assessment Techniques Inspection - Visual surveillance of patient - Observes breathing, gait, appearance, body positioning, and affect - Examines skin for color, lesions, and trauma Palpation - Uses hands to feel areas not visible - Includes light and deep palpation techniques Percussion - Assesses the density of underlying structures - Can be direct or indirect - Documentation categories: resonant, dull, tympanic, flat Auscultation - Listening to body sounds directly or with devices - Includes breath sounds, bowel sounds, and heart sounds Vital Signs Assessment Temperature - Normal range: 97.5°F to 99.0°F - Fever: Above 100.4°F - Hypothermia: Below 95°F - Measurement methods: - Digital thermometer (oral, axillary, rectal) - Tympanic thermometer - Temporal thermometer - Special considerations: - Avoid hot/cold beverages 30 minutes before oral temperature - Clean devices between uses - Different placement techniques for different age groups Respiratory Rate - Normal range: 12-20 breaths per minute - Tachypnea: Above 20 breaths/minute - Bradypnea: Below 12 breaths/minute - Measurement technique: - Count inspirations for 15 seconds and multiply by 4 - Observe chest or shirt movement - Assess breathing pattern Pulse - Normal range: 60-100 beats per minute - Tachycardia: Above 100 bpm - Bradycardia: Below 60 bpm - Measurement locations: - Radial artery (most common) - Other sites: carotid, brachial, femoral, pedal arteries - Assessment includes rate, rhythm, and strength - Can use manual measurement or pulse oximeter Blood Pressure - Normal range: Systolic
