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An Overview of Most Common Nursing Assessment Tools
Nursing assessment is part of a medical procedure involved in treating patients with chronic illnesses or situations calling for prolonged medical care such as in the case of an accident. Wide range of nursing assessment tools are employed to complete this process and the overview provided below deals with some of the most common nursing assessment tools.
Medical Charts
The medical chart for the patient carries vital information on various aspects of his/her health. In addition to the present and past medical condition of the patient, the chart will also provide basic information such as blood pressure, history of diabetics, and any other pre-existing medical challenges. This information will set the tone for undertaking a nursing assessment.
The vital elements
Body temperature, heart beat rate, blood pressure, rate of respiration, and pulse rate are among the vital elements that helps medical professionals evaluate the general condition of the patient. Abnormalities in any of these functions can indicate potential problem areas and will be used as nursing assessment tools to design an appropriate program.
Information supplied by the patient
Information generated from the patient is among other important nursing assessment tools. For this purpose, the designated nurse initially interviews the patient at great length to understand his/her mental status, life style, addictions, food habits, likes and dislikes, and other relevant details. The interview process is then continued everyday to assess the progress and gauge any potential complications in the offing.
Observation
Keen observation of the patient is another important tool in the process of nursing assessment. This measure helps the nurse in recognizing pain, emotional disturbance and reactions to treatment. This tool is particularly important in patients whose ability to communicate is challenged.
Involving health care professionals from other disciplines
Multi disciplinary attention is often required in ensuring speedy recovery and comfort of patients undergoing prolonged treatment. Consultations with professionals from different disciplines applicable to the patient help the nursing assessment program immensely. In most instances of prolonged medical care, co-ordination between the entire team of medical professionals assumes great significance.
Effective communication
Effective communication is by far the most critical among nursing assessment tools. The patient speaking an altogether alien language and fewer people in the hospital including the nurse being unable to comprehend and interpret the language can pose serious problems in the process of nursing assessment. Even with a common language, cultural variations, racial issues, color. English language alone is spoken differently in different countries and therefore a matter of fact usage in one nation can be very nearly an abuse in another nation. Technology has rapidly evolved to address many of these challenges in communication though it is the user’s responsibility to ensure that the most appropriate technology is employed in resolving issues. Yet another challenge in effective nursing assessment is inter disciplinary communication. Communication tools have come a long way from what they used to be a decade ago though human failures continue to be a challenge in health care particularly.