Analyze the associated activities in the evaluation phase of a patient - Essay Example

In any case all practitioners are required to know how to evaluate a patient. Traditionally nurse’s role in evaluating a patient has to record the observations made but not to interpret them. The main observation includespulse, temperature, rate of respiratory, blood pressure and consciousness level (Alice, 1985). The ability of nurse to record such observations accurately will determine the priority of the patient care. Assessment based on priority setting is one of the major skills that nurses that are newly fit may lack.

There are elementary evaluation that can be executed on any patient while there are some that are specific to particular cases, for instancediseases that are chronic, trauma and other emergencies (Jacques, 1988). Unfortunately, the essential assessments are not always carried out. After taking patients details such as names and insurance, it is also important to understand if the patient has any historical background of an illness, such information include when the patient was last in the hospital?

What disease was the patient last diagnosed? And other historical details of the patient (Allan, 2012). Such information gives a clue as to either the illness is recurrent of it involves new prescription. Patient evaluation is done through history of medical information (Alice, 1985). Physical examination is carried out so as to be able to notice any physical behavior that may likely to be caused by illness; some patients will have a pale skin and other physically observed conditions. Routine laboratory tests are necessary to try and establish the specifics of the disease (Jacques, 1988).

Other diagnostic procedures can also be carried out. Physical examination must involve the suitable measurement of blood pressure, with contralateral arm confirmation. Optic fundi examination is also done. Further examination requires calculating the mass index of the body, the BMI calculation, measuring the circumference of the waist is equally