Head and Neck Assessment: Preparing the Client for Examination, Lecture notes of Health sciences

Download Head and Neck Assessment: Preparing the Client for Examination and more Lecture notes Health sciences in PDF only on Docsity! PREPARING THE CLIENT Instruct  Instruct the client to remove any wig, hat, hair ornaments, pins, rubber bands, jewelry and head or neck scarves Consider  Consider cultural norms for touch when assessing the head Ask  Ask the client to sit in an upright position with the back and shoulders held back and straight Explain  Explain that the client may be requested to move and bend the neck Be  Be aware that some clients may be anxious as the lymph nodes in the neck are palpated Tell  Tell the client what you are doing and share your assessment findings EQUIPMENT NEEDED  Gloves  Small cup of water  Stethoscope INSPECTION OF THE SHAPE OF THE HEAD Inspect the head for:  Shape and symmetry  Size, shape, and configuration  Involuntary movement HEAD AND FACE  Head size and shape may vary, especially in accord with ethnicity  Head is symmetric, round, erect, and in midline  No lesions are visible  Still and upright  Palpate the head for consistency  Head is normally hard ans smooth without lesions  Inspect the face for symmetry, features, movement, expression, and kin condition  Face is symmetric with a round oval, elongated or square appearance  Olde clients - facial wrinkles are normal  Palpate the temporal artery  The temporal artery is elastic and not tender  Abn. - temporal arteritis  Palpate the temporomandibular joint (TMP)  No swelling, tenderness or crepitation with movement  Mouth opens and closes fully (3-6cm between upper and lower teeth)  Lower jaw moves laterally 1-2cm in each direction  Abn. - limited ROM, swelling, tenderness, crepitation THE NECK  Inspect the neck  Is symmetric with head centered and without bulging masses  Inspect movement of neck structures  Thyroid and cricoid cartilages, thyroid gland move upward as patient swallows  Inspect the cervical vertebrae  C7 is usually visible and palpable  Inspect ROM  Neck movement should be smooth and controlled with 45o flexion, 55o extension, 40o lateral abduction and 70o rotation  Palpate the trachea  Trachea is midline  Palpate the thyroid gland  Landmarks are positioned midline  The isthmus may be palpated at the midline  If the thyroid can be palpated, the lobes are smooth, firm and non-tender  The right lobe is often 25% larger than the left lobe  Glandular thyroid tissue may be felt rising underneath your fingers  Lobes should feel smooth, rubbery and free of nodules  Auscultate the thyroid gland  Done only if there is thyroid enlargement