Health and Physical Assessment / Edition 3

by Violet Barkauskas PhD, RN, CNM, FAAN

Overview

Health and Physical Assessment presents holistic health assessment in a unique narrative format that is practical and consistent. Health assessment is presented as the systematic collection of data that nurses can use to make decisions about how they will intervene to promote, maintain, or restore health. Core assessment content is organized by body system (Chapters 11-22); these chapters include three main sections on Anatomy and Physiology, Examination, and Variations from Health. Special boxes highlight important information such as Risk Factors, Cultural Considerations, and Helpful Hints. At the end of each chapter are Sample Documentation and Diagnoses and Critical Thinking Questions that apply the chapter content to clinical scenarios.

Chapters 1-9 cover topics such as interviewing skills and techniques, health history, assessment of health beliefs and behaviours, developmental assessment across the life span, nutritional assessment, cultural considerations, and general assessment techniques. Chapter 23 covers head-to-toe integrated physical assessment, and Chapter 24 discusses clinical reasoning in determining health status. Chapters 25-28 cover assessment of special populations such as pregnant women, paediatric and geriatric clients, and clients with functional limitations.

· A consistent format is employed in body system chapters, with three main headings for Anatomy and Physiology, Examination, and Variations from Health
· Hundreds of full-color multicultural illustrations depict examination procedures, equipment, and normal and abnormal findings
· A separate culture chapter and Cultural Considerations boxes integrated throughout the text present differences among cultural and ethnic groups to prepare nurses to work with an increasingly diverse patient population.
· Preparation for Examination and Examination Step-by-Step boxes in each body system chapter summarize key information in a concise format.
· Helpful Hints boxes integrated throughout the narrative provide practical tips for performing a thorough and accurate assessment.
· Risk Factors boxes highlight risk factors relevant to various body systems and specific disorders.
· Chapter 28: Clients with Functional Limitations discusses special assessment variables and tools for clients who are disabled, handicapped, or otherwise impaired.
· A Glossary at the end of the book provides definitions to enhance student comprehension and review of key concepts and terminology

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780323012140
Publisher:	Elsevier Health Sciences
Publication date:	10/11/2001
Edition description:	REV
Pages:	784
Product dimensions:	8.50(w) x 11.00(h) x (d)

About the Author

Barkauskas, Violet H., PhD, RN, FAAN (Univ of Michigan); Stoltenberg-Allen, Kathryn, MSN, RN; Baumann, Linda Ciofu, PhD, RN, CS-ANP (Univ of Wisconsin); Darling-Fisher, Cynthia, PhD, RN, FNC (Univ of Michigan)

The contributors represent the specialties of geriatric research and education and family medicine. They are both from Univ of Wisconsin-Madison.

Table of Contents

TAKING THE HEALTH HISTORY · An Overview of Health Assessment · Interviewing Skills and Techniques · The Health History · Assessment of Health Beliefs and Behaviors · HOLISTIC ASSESSMENT · Developmental Assessment Across the Life Span · Nutritional Assessment · Cultural Considerations in Health Assessment · PHYSICAL ASSESSMENT · Assessment Techniques · General Assessment, Including Vital Signs · Skin, Hair, and Nails · Face, Head, Neck, and Regional Lymphatics · Eyes · Ears, Nose, Mouth, and Throat · Breasts and Regional Lymphatics · Respiratory System · Cardiovascular System · Abdomen · Musculoskeletal System · Neurological System, Including Mental Status · Male Genitalia · Female Genitalia · Anus and Rectosigmoid Region · Integration of the Physical Assessment and Documentation · Clinical Reasoning in Determining Health Status · ASSESSING SPECIAL POPULATIONS · Pregnant Clients · Pediatric Clients · Aging Clients · Clients with Functional Limitations · Glossary · Bibliography

Editorial Reviews

Reviewer: Kathleen S Maas, Political Science/Health Scien(U.S. Navy)
Description: This book provides a very comprehensive, detailed, systematic, and holistic approach to the health and physical assessment of clients including active participation of the clients in the healthcare process. Previous editions were published in 1994 and 1998.
Purpose: The purpose is to provide students and beginning practitioners the theory, knowledge, and clinical skills necessary to perform an effective, thorough, and complete health and physical assessment including the consideration of cultural, socio-economic, and age specific differences that will directly impact the planning and managment of individualized client healthcare.
Audience: According to the author, the book is written for students and beginning practitioners.
Features: This is a comprehensive educational resource and training tool that is divided into four main sections. The first two sections address taking a detailed health history and incorporating the developmental and nutritional status, as well as cultural considerations unique to the client, into the overall health assessment. The third section provides the student and beginning practitioner with the basic anatomy and physiology and techniques of the examinations specific to each organ system. The last section provides specific knowledge and issues relevant to the health and physical assessment of elderly, pregnant, and pediatric clients and clients with functional disabilities. This book also lists a Web site that contains teaching tips, content updates, frequently asked questions, and links to other Web sites that provide information specific to the contents of the book.
Assessment: Compared to other books on physical examinations and health, this book is excellent. It is a valuable clinical reference tool and review for practitioners and clinicians in most clinical settings today who provide healthcare to an increasingly diverse and multicultural society. In addition, it is also most important for the client to be actively involved in the healthcare process. As clinicians, we should always consider concomitant or underlying factors that may have caused or have contributed to the presenting disease, injury, or mental status of the client.

Doody's Review Service

3 Stars from Doody

This textbook gives the reader a systematic andholistic approach for conducting a comprehensive examination of apatient. The authors use diagrams, charts, and helpful hints toemphasize teaching points. They provide the student with easy-to-carryprompting cards to use during an examination. The purpose is toprovide a data collection system. Using this system will facilitatethe health professional in making decisions about clients' healthcareneeds. It also provides some information about a holistic approach. The author meets the objectives well by reflecting a means toanticipate changing healthcare and nursing practices. The targetaudience is nursing students and beginning practitioners. Theillustrations, diagrams, and charts are appropriate in each chapter andenhance the discussion of each body system. The authors providehelpful hints to highlight key points. The end of each chapter has acase study illustrating the use of nursing diagnoses and documentationto summarize the chapter. The quality of the book is superior toother physical assessment textbooks I have read. The material is easyto understand, with clear explanations of procedures that are useful tothe novice nursing student or beginning practitioner. I think thisbook would definitely enhance a student's personal library. It offersenough information and key points to emphasize what is reallyimportant. This new edition offers readers a starting point incollecting data to make a nursing diagnosis from a holisticperspective.

Irma L. Gregory