Assessment Made Incredibly Easy

Chapter 1:  Health History

1. Communicate effectively with your patient while taking a health history.
2. Identify what steps –from obtaining biographic date to reviewing body systems –make up a complete health history.
3. Use appropriate systematic questions in obtaining a health history.

Chapter 2:  Fundamental Physical Assessment Techniques

1. Identify basic equipment needs for performing a physical assessment.
2. Explain how to perform a general, observational survey as the first part of the physical assessment.
3. Prepare the patient for the examination
4. Identify techniques for Inspection, Palpation, Percussion and Auscultation.

Chapter 3:  Nutritional Assessment

1. Recite appropriate questions about nutrition to ask the patient during the health history.
2. Explain how to take anthropometrics measurements.
3. Identify what laboratory tests help diagnose nutritional problems.
4. Identify and differentiate some nutritional disorders.

Chapter 4:  Assessing Skin, Hair, and Nails

1. Demonstrate a basic understanding of the anatomy and physiology of the skin, hair, and nails.
2. Recite appropriate questions about the skin, hair and nails to ask the patient during the health history.
3. Differentiate changes in the skin, hair and nails that are normal outcomes of aging from changes that signal a potential health problem.
4. Explain how to perform inspection and palpation to assess skin, hair, and nails.
5. Identify some common disorders of the skin, hair, and nails.

Chapter 5:  Assessing Eyes

1. Identify the basic structures that make up the eye and their functions.
2. Recite appropriate questions to obtain health history information about the eyes.
3. Explain how to perform a physical assessment of the eyes.
4. Identify and differentiate some normal and abnormal variations in the eyes.

Chapter 6:  Assessing Ears, Nose, and Throat

1. Identify the basic structures that make up the ear, nose, and throat and their functions.
2. Recite appropriate questions to obtain an ear, nose, and throat health history from the patient.
3. Explain how to perform an assessment of the ear, nose, and throat.
4. Identify some abnormal findings of the ear, nose, and throat.

Chapter 7:  Assessing the Respiratory System

1. Identify the basic normal anatomy and physiology of the respiratory system.
2. Recite appropriate questions to obtain health history information about the respiratory system.
3. State how to assess the respiratory system using the four components of a physical examination:  inspection, palpation, percussion and auscultation.
4. Identify some related structures that may also provide information about respiratory status.
5. Identify some abnormal findings for the respiratory system.

Chapter 8:  Assessing the Cardiovascular System

1. Identify the basic structures that make up the cardiovascular system and how they function.
2. Recite appropriate questions to obtain health history information about the cardiovascular system.
3. Explain how to perform an assessment of the cardiovascular system.
4. Explain how to identify and differentiate between normal and abnormal findings.

Chapter 9:  Assessing the Breasts and Axillae

1. Identify the basic structures that make up the breasts.
2. Recite appropriate questions to obtain health history information about the breasts.
3. Explain how the breasts change with age, pregnancy and other conditions.
4. Explain how to perform a physical assessment of the breasts and axillae.
5. Describe some common abnormal findings of the breast and axillae.

Chapter 10:  Assessing the Gastrointestinal System

1. Identify the basic organs and structures that make up the GI system.
2. Recite appropriate questions to obtain health history information about the GI system.
3. Explain how to perform a physical assessment of the GI system.
4. Describe some abnormal findings in the GI system and how to recognize them.

Chapter 11:  Assessing the Female Genitourinary System

1. Identify the basic organs and structures that make up the female genitourinary system.
2. Recite appropriate questions to obtain health history information about the female GU system.
3. Explain how to perform a physical assessment of the female GU system.
4. Describe some female GU system abnormalities and how to recognize them.

Chapter 12:  Assessing the Male Genitourinary System

1. Identify the basic organs and structures that make up the male GU system.
2. Recite appropriate questions to obtain health history information about the male GU system.
3. Explain how to perform a physical assessment of the male GU system.
4. Describe some male GU system abnormalities and how to recognize them.

Chapter 13:  Assessing the Musculoskeletal System

1. Identify the basic structures of the musculoskeletal system.
2. Recite appropriate questions to obtain health history information about the musculoskeletal system.
3. Explain how to use inspection and palpation to assess the musculoskeletal system.
4. Identify the five “P’s” for swiftly assessing a musculoskeletal injury.
5. Identify some abnormal findings and explain their significance.

Chapter 14:  Assessing the Neurologic System

1. Identify the basic organs and structures that make up the neurologic system.
2. Recite appropriate questions to obtain health history and acquire information about neurologic function.
3. Explain how to conduct a physical assessment of the neurologic system.
4. Explain how to recognize some neurologic abnormalities.