NR 226 Final Exam Study Outline
*****ADPIE for ALL!!****
The Nursing Process
o The purpose of the nursing process is to diagnose and treat human
... [Show More] responses (e.g.,
patient symptoms, need for knowledge) to actual or potential health problems.
Use of the process allows nurses to help patients meet agreed-on outcomes for
better health.
o The nursing process requires a nurse to use the general and specific critical
thinking competencies described earlier to focus on a particular patient's unique
needs. The format for the nursing process is unique to the discipline of nursing
and provides a common language and process for nurses to “think through”
patients' clinical problems
5 Steps of the Nursing Process (ADPIE)
o Assessment
Phases of interview/assessment
An interview is an approach for gathering subjective and objective
data from a patient through an organized conversation. An initial
interview involves collecting a nursing health history and gathering
information about a patient's condition
1. Orientation and Setting an Agenda
o Begin an interview by introducing yourself and your
position and explaining the purpose of the interview.
Explain why you are collecting data and assure patients that
all of the information will be confidential.
o Your aim is to set an agenda for how you will gather
information about a patient's current chief concerns or
problems. Remember, the best clinical interview focuses on
a patient's goals, preferences, and concerns and not on your
agenda.
2. Working Phase-Collecting Assessment or Nursing Health
History
o Start an assessment or a nursing health history with openended questions that allow patients to describe more clearly
their concerns and problems. For example, begin by having
a patient explain symptoms or physical concerns and
describe what he or she knows about the health problem or
ask him or her to describe health care expectations.
o Use attentive listening and other therapeutic
communication techniques that encourage a patient to tell
his or her story.
3. Terminating an Interview
o Termination of an interview requires skill. You summarize
your discussion with a patient and check for accuracy of the
information collected. Give your patient a clue that the
interview is coming to an end. For example, say, “I have
just two more questions. We'll be finished in a few more
minutes.”
o This helps a patient maintain direct attention without being
distracted by wondering when the interview will end.
Methods of obtaining data
An assessment is necessary for you to gather information to make
accurate judgments about a patient's current condition. Your
information comes from:
The patient through interview, observations, and physical
examination.
Family members or significant others' reports and response to
interviews.
Other members of the health care team.
Medical record information (e.g., patient history, laboratory work,
x-ray film results, multidisciplinary consultations).
Scientific and medical literature (evidence about disease
conditions, assessment techniques, and standards).
Subjective Data
Subjective data are your patients' verbal descriptions of their health
problems. For example, Mr. Lawson's self-report of pain at the area
where his incision slightly separated is an example of subjective
data. Subjective data include patients' feelings, perceptions, and
self-report of symptoms.
Only patients provide subjective data relevant to their health
condition. The data often reflect physiological changes, which you
further explore through objective review of body systems.
Objective Data
Objective data are observations or measurements of a patient's
health status. Inspecting the condition of a surgical incision or
wound, describing an observed behavior, and measuring blood
pressure are examples of objective data.
Objective data is measured on the basis of an accepted standard
such as the Fahrenheit or Celsius measure on a thermometer,
inches or centimeters on a measuring tape, or a rating scale (e.g.,
pain).
When you collect objective data, apply critical thinking intellectual
standards (e.g., clear, precise, and consistent) so you can correctly
interpret your findings. [Show Less]