Introduction

It is a familiar scene that happens countless times each day: a nurse assesses a patient. The information collected about the patient’s health will enable the care team to identify potential problems, diagnose the likely causes, and plan appropriate treatments. At one moment, the nurse may use a specific tool to assess a specific part of a patient’s body, for example, an otoscope to check this patient’s ears. However, the exam room contains numerous other assessment tools and sources of important information that the nurse needs to pay attention to, including the patient and family members or caretakers who have accompanied them. This chapter explores assessment, from the patient’s initial examination to the diverse skills nurses use in gathering data and determining care priorities.