NURS251:
Lesson 3: Introduction to Assessment
Introduction
(1 of 1)
This lesson focuses on the components of a mental status assessment. It describes the four major assessment techniques used in conducting a physical examination. Lastly, this lesson reviews the four areas of a general survey.
Lesson 3 Objectives
- Define the behaviors considered in an assessment of a person's mental status.
- List four components of a mental status assessment.
- Describe the use of inspection, palpation, auscultation, and percussion as physical examination techniques.
- List the information considered in each of the four areas of a general survey: physical appearance, body structure, mobility, and behavior.
Key Terms
- Abstract reasoning
- Affect
- Memory (recent and remote)
- Mental status
- Mood
- Orientation
- Perception
- Thought content
- Thought process
- Amplitude (intensity)
- Auscultation
- Bell
- Diaphragm
- Fetoscope
- Goniometer
- Inspection
- Nosocomial infection
- Ophthalmoscope
- Otoscope
- Palpation
- Pelvimeter
- Percussion
- Pitch (frequency)
- Quality (timbre)
- Resonance
- Standard precautions
- Transmission-based precautions
- Tympany
- Apnea
- Bradycardia
- Bradypnea
- Cheyne-Stokes
- Diastolic pressure
- Diurnal rhythm
- Eupnea
- Hyperthermia
- Hypothermia
- Mean arterial pressure
- Orthostatic hypotension
- Pulse
- Pulse pressure
- Sphygmomanometer
- Sinus arrhythmia
- Symmetry
- Systolic pressure
- Tachycardia
- Tachypnea
- Tympanic membrane thermometer
Lesson Readings and Activities
- By the end of this lesson, make sure you have completed the readings and activities found in the Course Schedule for Lesson 3.
Summary
As a result of this lesson, you should now have a more thorough understanding of a mental status assessment. You have refined your assessment techniques. Lastly, you reinforced your knowledge base on the four areas of a general survey.