Study with the several resources on Docsity
Earn points by helping other students or get them with a premium plan
Prepare for your exams
Study with the several resources on Docsity
Earn points to download
Earn points by helping other students or get them with a premium plan
Community
Ask the community for help and clear up your study doubts
Discover the best universities in your country according to Docsity users
Free resources
Download our free guides on studying techniques, anxiety management strategies, and thesis advice from Docsity tutors
NURS 190 PHYSICAL ASSESSMENT FINAL EXAM study guide-tutor verified -2024-2025 .docx
Typology: Exams
1 / 42
Physical Assessment Final Exam Inspection technique (3): ● FIRST technique with general survey ● General survey: ○ Observing mobility / gait, physical appearance, general wellness/health, mood & behavior (facial expressions, interactions), mental status (observing patient’s body language and response when asking questions) ● Do it the SAME WAY every time → less likely to forget something ● Do not rush it, especially with anxious patients ○ Make sure the patient is comfortable ○ Temperature in the room is suitable for the patient ● Make sure that you have everything that you need → so that the patient has confidence in you ● Know normal vs abnormal when surveying appearance & symmetry ○ Compare ANYTHING that has a pair ○ Eyes- level, equal, is there eyelid drooping? ○ Smile- is there a droop? ○ Always compare the two sides to ensure that there is no abnormality between the two sides ● Listen for natural sounds ○ Abnormal sounds : wheezing, labored breathing, crepitus during ROM ● Detect abnormal odors: ○ CDIFF, alcohol on a patient, acetone / sugary breath ● Try not to assume anything! → use critical thinking! ○ Ex: someone with low blood sugar or issues with hypoxia can appear intoxicated ● Know your normal values: ○ Blood pressure, HR, RR, O2 sats, temperature ○ For each age levels ■ Infants: must faster RR than elderly Percussion technique (3) ● Types: ○ Direct percussion- tapping body with fingertips of dominant hand
■ For a small infant → direct percussion on the chest ■ Adult → on the sinuses on the face ○ Blunt percussion- place palm of nondominant hand flat against the surface and strike it with closed-fist dominant hand ■ Used to assess the kidneys → assessing for pain / tenderness
○ Indirect percussion- most commonly used ■ Plexor = hammer or tapping finger ■ Pleximeter = device or surface that accepts the tap ● Sounds: ○ Intensity of amplitude: softness or loudness ○ Pitch or frequency: high or low (vibrations per second) ○ Duration: length of time ○ Quality: recognizable overtones or drumlike sounds ● Tympany- sound heard over stomach or intestines ○ Loud, high-pitched, drum-like tone ● Resonance- normal sound heard over lungs ○ Loud, low-pitched, hollow tone ● Hyperresonance- air trapped in lungs ○ Abnormally loud, low tone of longer duration than resonance ■ COPD, trauma or lung collapse ● Dullness- over solid body organs (liver) ○ High-pitched tone, soft and short ● Flatness- over solid tissue, muscle, or bone ○ High-pitched tone, very soft & shorter than dullness ■ Ex: ribs Skin assessment (5) ● Life span considerations: ○ Infants and children ■ Newborn skin → covered with vernix caseosa ■ Infants have thin, soft, skin and free of hair ■ Milia and stork bites - common, harmless markings in newborns ■ Mongolian spots- gray, blue or purple spots in sacral and buttocks area ● Fade by age 3 ● Try not to confuse it with possibility of abuse → ask the parent “is this something that has been here since birth?” ■ Poor temperature regulation → do not secrete from glands ○ Pregnant female ■ Skin pigmentation increases → in areolae, nipples, vulva, perianal area ● Development of melasma and linea nigra down the abdomen ● Resolve itself after pregnancy ■ Hormonal changes→ cause oil and sweat glands to become hyperactive ● Acne worsens in 1st trimester ■ Hair may fall out during months 1- ○ Older adult ■ Skin elasticity decreases with aging
■ Sebum production decreases → causes dryness ● More prone to skin breakdown ■ Perspiration / sweating decreases ■ Decrease in melanin production → result in gray hair ■ Nails become thicker and more brittle due to decreased amount of circulation ■ Hair thins because of decrease of hair follicles ■ Liver spots, hyperpigmented freckles, increased amount of skin tags ● Psychosocial considerations: ○ Stressed induced illness: ■ Trichotillomania- hair twisting & pulling ■ Nail biting ■ Visible skin disorders in relation to self-esteem / body image ● Cultural and environmental considerations: ○ Socioeconomic status ■ Not able to go to the doctor because of finances ○ Home environment ■ Are they homeless? → if so, could be more likely to develop skin cancer due to outside exposure ○ Means of employment ■ If they work outside → important to know ■ Do not assume bad hygiene!! → could be from work ○ Changes in skin color → may be more difficult to detect in patients with dark skin ○ Dry skin does not necessarily indicate dehydration ○ Skin response to stressors differ from person to person ■ Autoimmune disorders ○ Differences in hair color and texture vary from different cultural groups ○ Prolonged immersion of hands in water can cause paronychia- reddened cuticles causing infection ○ Table 13.2 (variations) 31: ● Focused interview- questions related to: ○ Notice any smells / foul odors ○ Changes in color → oxygenation issues or perfusion ○ Sweating → fever, being in the sun too long, excessive sweating ○ Skin : ■ In general ■ Illness or infection ■ Symptoms, pain, behaviors ■ Age ■ External environment ○ Hair : ■ In general ■ Infants and children
○ Nails : ■ In general ■ Infants and children ■ Pregnant females ■ Older adult ● Color variations in light and dark skin ○ Pallor- loss of color in skin due to absence of oxygenated hemoglobin ■ Light skin: ● White skin loses rosy tones ● Yellow tone appears more yellow ■ Dark skin: ● Black skin loses its red undertones and appears ash-gray ● Brown skin becomes yellow-tinged ○ Absence of color- loss of pigment ■ Albinism- white/pale blond hair and pink irises ■ Vitiligo- very noticeable as patchy milk-white areas ■ Tinea- appears patchy areas paler than surrounding skin ○ Cyanosis- blue color in skin due to inadequate tissue perfusion ■ Light skin: ● Skin, lips, mucous membranes look blue-tinged; nail beds are blue ■ Dark skin: ● May appear a shade darker ● May be undetectable except for lips, tongue, oral mucous membranes, nail beds, and conjunctivae ○ Reddish blue tone- ruddy tone due to increased hemoglobin and stasis of blood ■ Light skin: reddish purple hue ■ Dark skin: difficult to detect; normal skin may appear darker in some patients ○ Erythema- redness of the skin due to increased visibility of normal oxyhemoglobin ■ Light skin: local inflammation and redness ■ Dark skin: hard to detect; inflammation appear purple or darker than surrounding skin ○ Jaundice- yellow undertone due to increased bilirubin ■ Generalized; visible in sclera, oral mucosa, hard palate, fingernails, palms of hands, and soles of the feet Skin lesions (5) ● Primary lesions: ○ Macule and patch- flat, nonpalpable change in the skin color ■ Macule : Smaller than 1 cm ■ Patch : larger than 1 cm ○ Papule and plaque- elevated, solid palpable masses with a circumscribed
border ■ Papule : smaller than 0.5 cm ■ Plaques : groups of papules that form lesions larger 0.5 cm ○ Nodule and tumor- elevated, solid, hard or soft palpable mass extending deeper into the dermis ■ Nodules : smaller than 2 cm ■ Tumors : may have irregular borders and are larger than 2 cm ○ Vesicle and bulla: elevated, fluid-filled, round or oval-shaped, palpable masses with thin, translucent walls and circumscribed borders ■ Vesicles : smaller than 0.5 cm ■ Bullae : larger than 0.5 cm ○ Pustule- elevated, pus-filled vesicle or bulla with a circumscribed border ■ Size varies ○ Wheal- an elevated, often reddish area with an irregular border caused by diffuse fluid in tissues ■ Size varies ○ Cyst- elevated, encapsulated, fluid-filled or semisolid mass originating in subcutaneous tissue or dermis ■ Usually 1 cm or larger ● Vascular lesions: ○ Ecchymosis- flat, irregular shaped lesion of varying size with no pulsation; does not blanch with pressure → BRUISE ■ In light skin : bluish, purple mark that changes yellow ■ Brown skin : varies from blue to deep purple ■ Black : darkened area ○ Hemangioma- bright, red raised lesion about 2-10 cm in diameter that does not blanch with pressure; present at birth or within few months of birth and typically disappears by age 10 ■ Cluster of immature capillaries ○ Cullen sign- periumbilical; could indicate internal bleeding in abdomen ○ Grey turner sign- flank area; could indicate bleeding into peritoneum, pancreatitis, etc. ○ Hematoma- raised, irregularly shaped lesion similar to ecchymosis except that it is elevated and looks like swelling ■ Caused by leakage of blood into the skin and subcutaneous tissue ○ Petechiae- flat, red or purple rounded “freckles”; approximately 1-3 mm in diameter; pinpoint lesions ■ Difficult to detect in dark skin and do not blanch ○ Purpura- flat, reddish-blue, irregularly shaped extensive patches of varying size ○ Port-wine stain- flat, irregular shaped lesion ranging from pale red to deep purple-red ■ Color deepens with exertion, emotional response, or exposure to extreme temperatures ■ Present at birth and typically does not fade
○ Spider angioma- flat, bright red dot with tiny radiating blood vessels ranging in size from a pinpoint to 2 cm; blanches with pressure ○ Venous lake- soft, compressible, slightly elevated vascular lesion; color typically ranges from dark blue to purple ● Infectious lesions: ○ Tinea- fungal infection affecting the body, scalp, or feet ■ Body = tinea corporis ■ Scalp = tinea capitis ■ Feet = tinea pedis (athlete’s foot) ○ Measles (Rubeola)- highly contagious viral disease that causes a rash of red to purple macules or papules that begins on face, then progresses over the neck, trunk, arms, and legs ■ Lesions do not blanch ■ Oral mucosa may demonstrate tiny, white spots that look like grains of salt ○ Varicella (chicken pox)- mild infections disease caused by primary infection with the varicella zoster virus; small, red, fluid-filled vesicles usually on the trunk from which the rash progresses to the face, arms, and legs ■ Erupt over several days forming pustules, then crusts ■ Cause intense itching ○ Rubella- highly contagious disease caused by rubella virus; typically begins as pink, papular rash that is similar to measles but paler ■ Skin lesions begin on the face and then spread over the body ○ Herpes simplex → cold sores ○ Herpes zoster → shingles ■ Clusters of small vesicles that form on the skin along the route of sensory nerves ○ Impetigo- contagious, bacterial skin infection that usually appears on the skin around the nose and mouth ■ Lesions may begin as barely perceptible patch of blisters that break, exposing red, weeping area beneath ■ Tan crust forms over the area ■ Common in children Nail abnormalities (2) ● Caused by: genetic factors, infectious disease processes, traumatic injuries ● May also provide clues to presence of underlying disease process involving other body systems ● Spoon nails / koilonychia- can be a sign of anemia, especially iron-deficiency anemia ● Paronychia- soft tissue infection around a fingernail at the cuticle causing inflammation ● Beau lines- occur after illness, injury to the nail, eczema around the nail, during chemotherapy for cancer
● Splinter hemorrhage- can be a manifestation of connective tissue condition such as lupus or scleroderma; appear as reddish-brown spots in the nail ● Onycholysis- painless separation of the nail from the nail bed; fungal infection causing the nails to thicken and lift off nail bed ● Clubbing- nails appear convex and wide; angle is greater than 160 degrees ○ Poor oxygenation Subjective data (3) Equipment (2) ● Various instruments that help in visualizing, hearing, and measuring data ○ Stethoscope, otoscope, penlight, doppler ultrasound, ophthalmoscope, reflex hammer, BP machine (table 9.1) ○ Before physical assessment: ■ Gather all equipment! ■ Organize it ■ Place within easy reach for availability ○ Stethoscope- auscultates body sounds such as BP, heart sounds, respirations, bowel sounds ■ Used on exposed skin!! ■ Components : ● Binaurals- pointed toward face ● Flexible tubing ● End piece ○ Bell- low-pitched sounds (murmurs) ○ Diaphragm- best for high-pitched sounds (lung sounds, bowel sounds, normal heart sounds) ■ Does not “amplify” sound!! → just isolates them ○ Doppler ultrasonic stethoscope- detect sounds that are difficult to hear with regular stethoscope ■ Fetal heart sounds, peripheral pulses ■ Use gel → isolates sound waves better ○ Ophthalmoscope- inspects internal eye structures ■ Components: ● Handle & head ● Used to see anterior structure of the eye: ○ Large aperture: dilated pupils ○ Small aperture: constricted pupils ○ Red-free filter: help to see optic disc ○ Grid: if there is any lesions → help to locate size of lesions ○ Slit
○ Otoscope- examines external ear structures ■ Need to make sure you’re using the right size! ● Too large or too small can prevent you from seeing anything ■ Components : ● Handle, light, lens, specula of various sizes ■ Normal appearance of tympanic membrane: clear, pearl colored; no purulent fluid ○ Wood lamp → used for fungal infection General survey (2) ● Observing mobility / gait, physical appearance ● General wellness/health ● Mood & behavior (facial expressions, interactions) ● Mental status (observing patient’s body language and response when asking questions) ● Open-ended- intentionally general and encourage the patient to provide additional information ○ Can be during actual assessment ○ H & P ○ What kind of changes have you noticed that have occurred with your skin? ○ “Tell me more about that…” ● Close-ended- quick and simple, yes or no question ○ Do you have allergies? Are you taking any medication? Neck assessment (1) ● Inspection of skin ● Testing range of motion ● Observation of carotid arteries and jugular veins ● Palpation of trachea ● Inspection, palpation, and auscultation of thyroid gland Eye assessment (5) ○ General : “Describe your vision today…” ○ Consider expectations based on: ■ Age ■ Race ■ Environment ■ Health practices ■ Past & current problems / therapies ○ Ask about any infections, surgeries, or injuries ○ Consider patient’s ability to participate → based on any problems stated that are significant ○ Symptoms, pain and behaviors ○ “When was your last eye exam?” → especially in an older client, diabetic
patients ● Lifespan considerations: ○ Infants and children: ■ Did the mother have a vaginal infection? ■ Was the child full term or premature? If premature, how early? ● Could have been over oxygenated in NICU causing visual problems ○ Pregnant female: ■ Any changes in vision? ■ Reassure mother that it is temporary → will return by 6 months ○ Older adult: ■ Do you have any dryness? ● If the individual OVER USES eye drops → the lacrimal glands are less likely to continue to produce tears ■ Any problems with night vision? → may affect their daily living ○ Internal environment: ■ Ask whether or not the patient is taking any medications that could affect vision ■ Is there a family history of eye problems? ● Glaucoma IS inherited ● Cataracts are not genetic ○ External environment: ■ Have they been exposed to any eye irritants? ■ Do they work in an environment that can cause eye irritants? ■ Are they using safety equipment to protect eye? ● Eye assessment (5) ○ Inspection : ■ What does the sclera look like? ● Is it a normal white color? ● Is there jaundice? → can indicate liver problems ■ Looking for redness, drainage ○ Tests : ■ Snellen Tests (distance)- tests for visual acuity ● Tests for cranial nerve II ● Stand 20 feet away and cover one eye ○ Read the smallest line they can possibly read ○ If patient reads half or more of the line wrong → move up to the next highest level ● First number → 20 feet away from Snellen ○ NEVER CHANGES ● Second number → how far away someone with normal vision will see what you see ● Ex: 20/40 : you’re standing at 20 feet and seeing what a person
with normal vision could see at 40 feet ■ Jaeger / Rosenbaum- near vision ● 12-14 inches away ■ Confrontation test- peripheral vision ● Your eye AND the patient eye are covered on the opposite sides (same eye when facing each other) ● Something is coming into view → if the patient sees it at the same time that you do, they have normal vision ■ Cardinal fields of gaze- extraocular muscles ● Cranial nerves 3, 4, 6 ● Assessing for any deviation in vision ■ Cover / uncover: ● Normal = no deviation ● Could have a slight deviation → but will not see it until you cover / uncover the eye ■ PERRLA- pupils are equal, round, and reactive to light and accommodation ● Pupil size are equal: between 3 and 6 ● Reactive to light : constriction when light is shined at them ● Accommodation: eyes converge and pupils constrict when looking at something close up ■ Consensual constriction - pupil constricts when a light is shone in the eye ○ Palpation: ■ Warmth, tenderness, edema, etc ○ Ophthalmoscope- looking at the internal parts of the eye (pupils) ■ Looking at the fundus, macula ■ Want to see a red reflex → light reflection from the retina ■ Looking for normal blood vessels: ● Are the constricted or enlarged? ■ Are there any lesions? ■ White spots on the macula? ■ Pale conjunctiva → can indicate types of anemia ■ Parts: ● Small aperture - constricted pupils ● Large aperture - pupils that are dilated ● Grid aperture - to detect a presence of any kind of lesion Eye abnormalities (5) ● Abnormalities of the eyelids: ○ Blepharitis- general inflammation / redness of the eyelids ■ Staphylococcal infection leads to red, scaly, and crusted lids
■ The eye burns, itches, and tears ○ Basal cell carcinoma- usually seen on the lower lid and medial canthus ■ Papular appearance ○ Chalazion- firm, nontender nodule on the eyelid arising from infection of the meibomian gland ■ Not painful unless inflamed ○ Hordeolum- also called a stye ■ Result of staphylococcal infection of hair follicles on the margin of the lids ■ Affected eye is swollen, red, and painful ○ Entropion- inversion of the eyelid and lashes caused by muscle spasm of the eyelid ■ Friction from lashes can cause corneal irritation ○ Ectropion- eversion of the lower eyelid caused by muscle weakness exposing the palpebral conjunctiva ○ Ptosis- drooping of the eyelid ■ Occurs with cranial nerve damage or systemic neuromuscular weakness ○ Periorbital edema- swollen, puffy eyelids ■ Occurs with crying, infection, trauma, systemic problems (kidney failure, heart failure, allergies) ○ Exophthalmos- abnormal protrusion of one or both eyeballs ■ Usually occurs secondary to Grave’s disease ● Lipids are being deposited in the back of the eye and pushes it out ■ Can also be caused by infectious disease, certain forms of cancer and other disorders ● Abnormalities of the eye: ○ Conjunctivitis- infection of the conjunctiva usually due to bacteria or virus ■ Pink eye ○ Iritis- serious disorder characterized by redness around the iris and cornea ■ Decreased vision and deep, aching pain ■ Pupil is often irregular ○ Subconjunctival hemorrhage- results from ruptured blood vessel that leads to blood accumulation in the subconjunctival space ■ Caused by trauma, anticoagulant therapy, hypertension, elevated venous pressure ○ Pterygium- non-cancerous growth that develops from the conjunctiva and extends onto the sclera ■ May also extend to the cornea ■ Can cause problems with vision ○ Hyphema- collection of blood in the anterior chamber of the eye that is most often caused by blunt trauma to the eye ■ Can also be caused by eye surgery, blood vessel abnormalities, medical problems ○ Acute glaucoma- result of sudden increase in intraocular pressure resulting from
blocked flow of fluid from the anterior chamber ■ Pupil is oval shaped and dilated ■ Cornea appears cloudy with circumcorneal redness ■ Pain onset → sudden and accompanied by decrease in vision and halos around lights ■ Requires immediate intervention !! ○ Cataract- opacity in the lens; occurs in aging ■ Can be surgically removed ○ Pinguecula- yellowish nodules that are thickened areas of the bulbar conjunctiva ■ Caused by prolonged exposure to sun, wind, and dust ● Abnormalities of the fundus (eye) ○ Diabetic retinopathy- changes that occur in the retina and its vasculature ■ Microaneurysms, hemorrhages, macular edema, retinal exudates ○ Hypertensive retinopathy- changes in the retina and its vasculature in response to high blood pressure ■ Flame hemorrhages, nicking of vessels, and “cotton wool” spots that arise from nerve fiber infarction ○ Age-related macular degeneration (ARMD)- degenerative condition of the macula, the central retina ■ Causing gradual loss of central vision while peripheral vision remains intact ■ Eyes are affected at different rates ■ Two types: ● Dry and wet ● Wet → hemorrhaging occurs in eyeball ■ Risk factors : hypertension and cigarette smoking ● Smoking → causes vasoconstriction & decreases amount of perfusion and speed up macular degeneration ○ Anisocoria- unequal pupil size; can be just a benign condition ■ If not benign → cranial nerve condition or CNS condition ○ Cranial nerve III damage- ptosis; unilaterally dilated ○ Mydriasis- very dilated pupils ■ Caused by dim light, anxiousness (sympathetic nervous system activation), medication for glaucoma ○ Miosis- excessive constricted pupils ■ Caused by narcotics, glaucoma, parasympathetic nervous system stimulation ● Abnormal findings: ○ Myopia- nearsighted; rays in FRONT of retina ○ Hyperopia- farsighted; rays BEHIND retina ○ Astigmatism- refraction of light spreads over a wide area rather than a distinct point on the retina ■ Produces an unclear picture ■ Familial / hereditary condition
○ Presbyopia- age-related vision loss ○ Cardinal fields of gaze: strabismus (cross eyed) → deviations in gaze ■ Esophoria- deviation inwards / medially ■ Exophoria- deviation outwards / laterally Ear assessment (3) ● Observe patient and listen to cues ○ Are they having trouble hearing you? ○ May turn their head to hear you or appear to be reading your lips ● Consider in relation to normative parameters and expectations of function as well as other factors ● Follow-up questions may be necessary ○ Do they have hearing aids / hearing deficits? ○ Have they had any surgeries? ● Questions: ○ General ○ Illness or infection ○ Symptoms, pain, behaviors ○ Environment ■ Internal & external ■ Do they work in an environment that can pose a risk to their hearing? ■ Are they wearing / using the proper equipment to protect them? ● Hearing aids, ear plugs, ear muffs ○ Age ■ Infants and children ● Increased risk of ear infections due to shorter eustachian tube ■ Pregnant female ■ Older adult ○ Specific to nose and sinuses ○ Specific to mouth and throat ● Inspection of external ear ■ Looking for redness, drainage, skin breakdown ○ Palpation of auricle and tragus ■ Should not feel lumps, bumps, or edema ○ Palpation of mastoid process ■ Looking for any increase / swollen lymph nodes ■ Is there any tenderness? ■ Signs of infection? ○ Inspection of auditory canal using otoscope ■ Adult: Pull the pinna OUT and UP ■ Child: Pull the pinna OUT and DOWN ■ Inserting: ● Handle up or down ● Straightening ear canal
○ Examination of tympanic membrane using otoscope ■ Want to see: pearly, shiny, gray membrane ■ Abnormal: ● Bulging, purulent drainage, redness → infection ● Retraction / sucking in of the tympanic membrane → indicates a blocked eustachian tube ○ Whisper test ■ Stand 1-2 feet behind the patient ■ Whisper something to see if the patient can hear you ■ Can have them cover one ear → testing for deficits in a single ear ■ Cover mouth to make sure patient is not reading your lips ○ Rhine and Weber tests using the tuning fork ■ Weber: (unicorn) ● Tuning fork is placed above the forehead ● Patient will be able to feel vibrations on both sides & hear EQUAL in both ears ● If there is any hearing loss / conductive → you will hear it louder on the impaired / affected ear ● If it’s a sensory issue → the good side will hear it louder ■ Rinne: ● Tuning fork is placed behind the ear (mastoid process) ● Testing the bone conduction! ○ Vibrations should last only half the time of air conduction ● If air conduction is 30 sec → bone conduction should be 15 seconds ● If they do not hear the vibrations, an abnormality may be present (bone conduction is longer than air conduction) ○ Romberg test for equilibrium / balance ■ Cranial nerve 8 ■ Abnormal : Positive → equilibrium problem or vertigo ■ Normal : want minimal amount of swaying Ear abnormalities (3) ● Keloid- scar tissue that forms following a tissue injury ■ Can caused by ear piercing ■ Tissue may be pink, red, or flesh-colored ○ Otitis externa- infection of the outer ear ■ Causes redness and swelling of the auricle and ear canal and scanty drainage
■ May be accompanied by itching, fever, and enlarged lymph nodes ■ Swimmer’s ear ○ Tophi- small white nodule on the helix or antihelix of the ear that contain uric acid crystals ■ Indication / sign of gout → arthritis that is caused by a build-up of uric acid in the joints ■ Can occur in the olecranon process (elbow), knee joint, palm, and Achilles tendon ○ Otitis media- infection of the middle ear producing a red, bulging eardrum ■ Causes fever and hearing loss ■ Otoscopic examination reveals absent light reflex ○ Perforation of the tympanic membrane- rupturing of the eardrum due to trauma or infection ■ During otoscopic inspection, may be seen as a dark spot on the eardrum ■ Symptom that you might notice: ABSENCE of pain after having an ear infection → pressure is gone due to rupture ○ Scarred tympanic membrane- eardrum has white patches of scar tissue due to repeated ear infections ■ Chronic irritation of the tympanic membrane without infection also causes scarring ■ Does not typically cause hearing loss Throat abnormalities (1) ● Tonsillitis- inflammation of the tonsils ○ Throat is red and tonsils are swollen covered by white or yellow patches ○ May include high fever and enlarged cervical chain lymph nodes Sinus assessment (1) ● Palpation of sinuses → any tenderness? ● Percussion of sinuses → presence of dullness? ○ DIRECT PERCUSSION- with fingertips ● Transillumination of sinuses ○ Normal: sinus appears hollow and light shines through giving a reddish glow ○ Abnormal: inflamed and blocked with secretions or mucus → light fails to shrine through and the sinus appears opaque ○ Light source in the mouth = maxillary ○ Light source on the cheek pointing towards the forehead OR underneath the eyebrow = frontal Respiratory assessment (2) ○ Focused interview: ■ Consider patient’s ability to participate → could be experiencing: ● Dyspnea, cyanosis, difficulty with speech or anxiety
● Patient is having a hard time speaking, trying to catch breath ■ Provide privacy and provide a warm area ■ General questions: ● Are they a nose breather? → if not, could have a problem with the nose (allergies, edema, inflammation) ● Does the patient have shortness of breath when lying down? ■ Illness or infection ● Any respiratory treatment, surgeries, illness, etc ■ Symptoms, pain, behaviors ● How long have you had the cough? ● Is is a production? ● Is there a particular odor or color? → can be indicative of cancer ● Is there muscle pain during cough? ● Are you on any medications? ○ Some medications can mask respiratory difficulties ● Feelings of dizziness or lightheadedness ○ Could be hypoxia ■ Nutritional intake / dietary habits ● Could be anemic ■ Age ● Infants & children: ○ Watch children putting things in their mouth → risk of aspiration ○ Solid foods TOO early can cause aspiration in children ● Older adults having kyphosis can affect breathing ○ Individual leans forward making it difficult to breath ■ Environment ● Work environment (chemicals, pollutants, etc) ● Are you often around smoke or smog often? ■ Do they smoke and/or participate in marijuana use or hookah use? ■ Include patient education ● Discuss immunization and stress importance ● Infants should be placed on back when sleeping ○ Firm mattress / bedding → not too soft ○ Should not be a lot of bedding, pillow, stuffed animals around ● Stress hand hygiene → especially with children! ○ Coughing into elbow ○ Using a tissue when sneezing ● Regular exercise → increase efficiency of respiratory system ○ Also decreases weight and increases lung expansion ● Explore triggers for asthmatic patients → discuss how to avoid them ■ Decrease asthma complications ● Identify triggers for asthma prevention: ○ Air pollution, allergies, cold air, a cold or flu virus, sinusitis, smoke,
fragrances ● Green zone: ○ 80- 100% of “normal” peak flow rate signals all clear ● Yellow zone: ○ 50 - 80% of “normal” peak flow rate signals caution ● Red zone: ○ <50% of “normal” peak flow rate signals a Medical Alert. Take your rescue medications right away ○ Inspection: front and back of thoracic cavity ■ Observation of skin color ■ Inspection of anterior and posterior thorax ● Symmetry ● Configuration 2: ● Respiratory rate and rhythm ○ 12- ■ Observe chest rise and fall ■ Observe for retractions / are they using their accessory muscles? ■ Is the patient using pursed lip breathing? ■ Infants → COUNT FOR FULL MINUTE ● They do have irregular respiratory rate ■ Obese client may have rapid, shallow respiration due to excess weight ○ Palpation of posterior thorax: ■ Feeling for any air trapped underneath the skin → feels like bubble wrap ■ Ribs, intercostal spaces, respiratory expansion ■ Tactile fremitus - feeling the vibration on the chest wall when the patient speaks ● Consolidation (pneumonia) → increased fremitus ● Effusion (pleural effusion) → decreased fremitus or absent ■ Unequal chest expansion occurs with atelectasis, pneumonia, pleural effusion, trauma, or pneumothorax ○ Percussion of posterior thorax: ■ Lungs, diaphragmatic excursion ○ Auscultation of the lungs → vesicular; what you would normally hear it ■ On bare skin ○ Normal breath sounds: Tracheal ● Location : over trachea ● I < E ● Quality : harsh, high pitched Bronchial- near the tracheal sounds ● Location : next to trachea , superior to each clavicle and in the first intercostal space ● E > I ● Quality : loud, high pitched
Bronchovesicular
● Palpation of the anterior thorax: ○ Sternum, ribs, intercostal spaces ○ Assessing for: ■ Muscle mass ■ Growths, nodules, masses ■ Tenderness ■ Crepitus- air underneath the skin ○ Decreased fremitus → with obstruction, pleural effusion, pneumothorax, and emphysema ○ Increased fremitus → pneumonia ● Percussion: ○ If you’re getting dullness instead of resonance → might be fluid in that area ○ Hyperresonance → excess amount of air trapped in the lungs OR pneumothorax ■ Large pocket of air due to lung collapse ● Normal respiratory rates and patterns ○ Eupnea: even depth, regular pattern ■ Inspiration = expiration ■ Occasional sigh ● Normal configuration ○ Adult: elliptical in shape with a lateral diameter that is larger than the anteroposterior diameter in a 2:1 ratio ○ Child: becomes of adult proportion by age 6 ○ Infant: rounded in shape with equal lateral and anteroposterior diameters Respiratory abnormalities (8) ● Tachypnea: rapid, shallow respirations ○ Rate > 24 ○ Precipitating factors: fever, fear, exercise, respiratory insufficiency, pleuritic pain, alkalosis, pneumonia ● Bradypnea: slow, regular respirations ○ Rate < 10 ○ Precipitating factors: diabetic coma, drug-induced respiratory depression, increased intracranial pressure ● Hyperventilation: rapid, deep respirations ○ Rate > 24 ○ Precipitating factors : extreme exertion, fear, diabetic ketoacidosis (Kussmaul’s), hypoxia, salicylate overdose, hypoglycemia ● Hypoventilation: irregular, shallow respirations ○ Rate < 10 ○ Precipitating factors : narcotic overdose, anesthetics, prolonged bed rest, chest splinting ● Cheyne-Stokes: periods of deep breathing alternating with periods of apnea ○ REGULAR pattern
○ Precipitating factors: normal children and aging, heart failure, uremia, brain damage, drug-induced respiratory depression ● Biot’s (Ataxic) respirations: shallow, deep respirations with periods of apnea ○ IRREGULAR pattern ○ Precipitating factors: respiratory depression, brain damage ● Sighing: frequent sighs ○ Precipitating factors: hyperventilation syndrome, nervousness ○ Caused by: dyspnea, dizziness ● Obstructive breathing: prolonged expiration ○ Precipitating factors: COPD, asthma, chronic bronchitis ● Orthopnea: shortness of breath / dyspnea that occurs while lying down from COPD ● Abnormal configuration ○ Barrel chest- anteroposterior diameter is equal to the lateral diameter with ribs horizontal ■ Occurs normally with aging and accompanies COPD ○ Pectus excavatum (funnel chest)- congenital deformity characterized by depression of the sternum and adjacent costal cartilage ■ Sternum displays INWARD ■ If severe → can interfere with respiration, murmurs can be present ○ Pectus carinatum (pigeon chest)- congenital deformity characterized by FORWARD displacement of the sternum with depression of the adjacent costal cartilage ■ No treatment is required generally ○ Scoliosis- LATERAL curvature and rotation of the thoracic and lumbar spine ■ Occurs most frequently in females ■ May result in elevation of the shoulder and pelvis ■ Deviation > 45° → may cause distortion of the lung, decreased lung volume ○ Kyphosis- exaggerated posterior curvature of the thoracic spine ■ “Hunchback” ■ Associated with aging ■ Severe kyphosis → may decreased lung expansion and increased cardiac problems ● Abnormal breath sounds: ○ Rales: clicking, bubbling, or rattling sounds; occurs when air opens closed air spaces ○ Crackles: cellophane being rubbed together; fluid in airways ○ Rhonchi: snoring; occurs when air is blocked or air flow becomes rough through lung airways ○ Stridor: wheeze-like sounds; due to a blockage of airflow in trachea ○ Wheezing: high-pitched, musical sounds through narrowed airways; can be audible ● Respiratory disorders:
○ Asthma- chronic hyperactive condition ■ Wheezing heard during inspiration (stridor) → indicates a more severe narrowing of the airways ○ Atelectasis- obstruction of airflow ■ Inspection : ● Cough ● Delayed chest expansion on affected side ● Increased RR and HR ● Possible cyanosis ■ Palpitation : ● Chest expansion decreased on affected side ● Tactile fremitus decreased ■ Percussion : ● Dull ■ Auscultation : ● Breath sounds decreased ● Possible crackles ○ Bronchitis- inflammation of tracheobronchial tree ■ Cough with mucus on most days → for at least 3 months ■ Wheezing (especially with asthmatic or rhonchi) ○ Emphysema- obstruction of alveoli ■ Results in air trapping and hyperinflation ● Air trapping results in barrel chest ■ Hypercarbia- increased CO2 ■ Percussion : hyperresonance ○ Pneumonia- infection of the alveoli ■ Dull percussion ■ Coarse crackles ■ Tactile fremitus would be louder ○ Pleural effusion- fluid in the pleural space ■ May not hear breath sounds ○ Pneumothorax- collapse of lung ■ Percussion : hyperresonance ■ Auscultation : absent sounds ■ Tracheal deviation towards the good lung → medical emergency ● Will have severe respiratory distress ● Can cause tension pneumothorax ○ Congestive heart failure- edema around the alveoli ○ Valley fever- fungal infection ○ COPD: ■ Barrel chest → same configuration ■ Skin color, possible cyanosis ■ Clubbing due to poor oxygenation ■ Puffy cheeks, pursed lip breathing
■ Retractions ■ Increased RR ■ Percussion: hyperresonance ■ Auscultation: decreased breath sounds Breast assessment (1) ● Make sure to consider information related to norms and expectations of individual’s breasts & lymphatic function ● Mastalgia- breast pain most often associated with menstrual cycle ● Rule out: cardiac, pulmonary, & GI causes ● Breast pain: ○ OLDCART: ■ Onset ■ Location ■ Duration ■ Characteristic ■ Aggravating factors ■ Relieving factors ■ Therapies tried ○ ICE: ■ Impact on ADL’s ■ Coping strategies ■ Emotional response ● Questions: ○ General ■ Has there been any change in your breast tissue? ■ Has there been any discharge? ■ Are you doing any hormonal replacement therapy or on birth control? ○ Presence of illness or infection ○ Symptoms or behaviors due to age ■ Preadolescent, pregnant female, older adult ○ Environmental ■ Internal, external ● Inspection: ○ Size, symmetry ○ Color, venous patterns, moles or other marking ■ Is there an orange peel appearance? → indication of increased risk of cancer ■ Inflamed skin, red and warm → might be from blocked lymph nodes ■ Unilateral venous pattern in one than the other ● Can indicate increased blood flow to a tumor ○ Observation of shape, surface characteristics and suspensory ligaments ○ Retraction or inversion of nipple → indicates malignancy
○ Inspect axilla → enlargement of lymph nodes! ● Palpation: ○ Skin turgor and breast tissue ○ Palpation of nipple and areolae, including compression ○ Palpate axillae ○ Vertical strip method, concentric circle pattern Special considerations assessment techniques (2) ● Lifespan considerations: infant & children, pregnant women, older adults ● Psychosocial considerations ● Environmental and cultural considerations Cardiac assessment (3) ● Landmarks for cardiac assessment: ○ Sternum ○ Clavicles ○ Ribs ○ 2nd through 5th intercostal spaces ■ Aortic: 2nd ICS, RSB ■ Pulmonic: 2nd ICS, LSB ■ Erbs: 3rd ICS ■ Tricuspid: 4th ICS, L ■ Mitral: 5th ICS, midclavicular ● Inspection: ○ Face, lips, ears, scalp ○ Jugular veins ■ Assess for JVD (jugular vein distention) → indication of fluid overload, congestive heart failure, any right side heart conditions ○ Carotid arteries ○ Hands and fingers ■ Splinter hemorrhage- most common cause in a single nail is trauma, but can be endocartditis if in more than a few nails ○ Chest, abdomen, legs, and skeletal structure ● Palpation of the chest: ○ Precordium at right and left intercostal spaces ○ Left 3rd intercostal space ○ Left 4th intercostal space ○ Left 5th intercostal space at midclavicular line ● Palpation of the carotid pulses ● Percussion of chest for cardiac border ● Auscultation of chest using diaphragm and bell in various positions: ○ Aortic : at right 2nd intercostal space ■ S1 < S2
○ Pulmonic : at left 2nd intercostal space ■ S1 < S2 ○ Erb’s point: at left 3rd intercostal space ■ S1 = S2 ■ Use the bell of the stethoscope! ○ Tricuspid : at left 4th intercostal space ■ S1 > S2 ○ Mitral / apex: at left 5th intercostal space; midclavicular line ■ S1 > S2 ○ If patient is obese → have the patient lay left lateral ● Auscultation of the carotid arteries using the bell ○ Have patient hold their breath when listening ● Compare the apical pulse to carotid pulse Cardiac abnormalities (5) ● Myocardial ischemia ● Myocardial infarction (MI) ● Congestive heart disease ● Ventricular hypertrophy ● Valvular heart disease ● Septal defects- openings between right and left atria or right and left ventricles ● Congenital heart disease ○ Coarctation of aorta- aorta is severely narrowed in the region inferior to the left subclavian artery ■ Narrowing RESTRICTS blood flow from the left ventricle into the aorta and out into systemic circulation ■ CHF in newborn ○ Patent ductus arteriosus- occurs when the ductus arteriosus fails to close between 24 - 48 hours after delivery ○ Tetralogy of Fallot- four cardiac defects: ■ Dextroposition of the aorta ■ Pulmonary stenosis ■ Right ventricular hypertrophy ■ Ventricular septal defect ■ LIFE THREATENING FOR NEWBORN ● Classifications of heart murmurs: Mitral stenosis- narrowing of the left mitral valve ● Etiology : rheumatic fever or cardiac infection ● Finding : murmur heard at the apical area with the patient in the left lateral position ● Quality : rumbling ● Pitch : low and best heard with bell ● Radiation : rare ● Changes with respirations : inspiration may intensify