Question

What is a focused nursing assessment? What are some examples of a client situation in which you would use a focused nursing assessment versus the entire nursing process?

Answer 1

Focused nursing assessment : It is a detalied nursing assessment that have assessment of specific body system relating to the presenting problem or other current concern required. In this assessment may involve one or more body system

In focued nursing assessment we have least one of the following four basic tecniques during physical examination INSOECTION, AUSCULTATION, PERCUSSION, AND PALPATION and in addition to the "vital signs" of temprature, blood pressure, pulse and respiratory rate.

The focued nursing assessment is important because it allow the nurse to detect obvious and subtle changes in a patient health status.

EXAMPLE OF FOCUSED NURSING ASSESSMENT

1. if a patient have respiratory system disease condition

we perform a focused respiratory system assessment includes collection of subjective data about the patient's history of smoking, collecting the patient's and patient family's history of pulmonary disease, and asking patient's about ang signs and symptoms of pulmonary disease, such as cough and shortness of breath.

2. if patient have cardiovascular and peripharal vascular system disease condition

In these disease condition it affect the entire body. it include collection subjective data about the patient diet, nutrition, exercise, and stress levels collecting the patient's and the patient's family's history of cardiovascular and peripheral vascular disease, such as peripheral edema, shortness of breath (dyspnea), and irregular pulse rate.

3. If patient have gastrointestinal and genitourinary system disease condition

these system are responsible for the ingestion of food, the absorption of nutritions, and the elimination of waste products. A focused assessment include collecting subjective data about the patient's diet and exercise levels, collecting the patient family history about these disease, and asking the patient about any signs and symptoms of gastrointestinal and genitourinary disease, such as abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, bloating, constipation, diarrhea, and characteristics of urine and faeces.

In all these disease condition the objective data also collected according to disease condition and treat the patient disease by focused nursing assessment.