How Do I Carry Out a Nursing Assessment?

A nursing assessment occurs when patients are brought in for treatment. Nursing assessments look at the symptoms and availability of treatment for each individual case. To perform a nursing assessment, nurses and other qualified personnel must thoroughly examine the patient's vital signs without making a diagnosis; only doctors, physician assistants and nurse practitioners are allowed to diagnose a patient. Triage nurses in emergency rooms are trained to assess patients upon arrival. Nurses in a doctor's office perform assessment to prepare patients for doctor consults.

Instructions

• 1

  Record the patient's vital signs, such as pulse, blood pressure, temperature and respirations. During any health assessment, these factors will help determine if there are any major underlying issues that need treatment.

• 2

  Ask the patient questions. For example, "How do you feel?" does not convey the exact information you need to know. Ask your patient specific questions based on his complaint. For instance, "Are you nauseous?" or "Are you in pain?" get to the point quicker and help you determine the patient's priority level.

• 3

  Inspect any wounds or other injuries for discoloration, depth and swelling. This is information that you must relay to the doctor to effectively treat or prevent infections.

• 4

  Demonstrate empathy toward your patient during the assessment. Explain what you are doing as you do it, and if anything you had to do caused the patient pain, offer a sincere apology.

• 5

  Examine the patient's eyes for dilation and movement. Injuries and illness can sometimes interfere with the patient's cognitive functions, pointing to a deeper problem that will need treatment. Questions regarding dates and current events will also help you identify whether your patient is suffering confusion or delusions.