This piece was beautiful. It nailed it. I remember once teaching another nurse how to make an initial visit. While one nurse assessed and cared for the patient, I sat back with the new nurse and told her to take advantage of this spot. Look at her skin: color, etc. Her legs- they are edematous. Listen to her breathe and speak. Smell. Doe…
This piece was beautiful. It nailed it. I remember once teaching another nurse how to make an initial visit. While one nurse assessed and cared for the patient, I sat back with the new nurse and told her to take advantage of this spot. Look at her skin: color, etc. Her legs- they are edematous. Listen to her breathe and speak. Smell. Does she smell musky, ethereal, etc. Finally when you get to be next to her, touch her. Abdomen hard, soft? Edema pitting? Listen to the patient, family, care givers as they relate the H&P of this person. Despite their limited medical knowledge, somewhere in their descriptions you'll hear exactly what you need to hear. The forest is your patient, the trees are what the patient is and where you find her diagnoses.
This piece was beautiful. It nailed it. I remember once teaching another nurse how to make an initial visit. While one nurse assessed and cared for the patient, I sat back with the new nurse and told her to take advantage of this spot. Look at her skin: color, etc. Her legs- they are edematous. Listen to her breathe and speak. Smell. Does she smell musky, ethereal, etc. Finally when you get to be next to her, touch her. Abdomen hard, soft? Edema pitting? Listen to the patient, family, care givers as they relate the H&P of this person. Despite their limited medical knowledge, somewhere in their descriptions you'll hear exactly what you need to hear. The forest is your patient, the trees are what the patient is and where you find her diagnoses.