Category: NU333 Health Assesment for the Nursing Professional

This week you have one Shadow Health Assignment to submit for grading:

Comprehensive Assessment

1. To begin this Assignments open Shadow Health from inside the course, select your Shadow Health course, and select the Comprehensive Assessment. You will be able to re-open your completed practice attempt from last week so you can improve your score by asking more questions and performing additional assessments. You do not have to start a second attempt from scratch.

Making Corrections to Your Assignment

1. You will be able to reopen your completed attempts to make corrections and improve your score.
2. You DO NOT have to start these assignments from scratch
3. You can reopen these assignments to make corrections from the Assignment Overview or Assignment Results page by following these steps – https://link.shadowhealth.com/reopening.
4. Make sure to “Turn In” your assessment by the end of the unit by following these steps – https://link.shadowhealth.com/Turn-In-Attempt.

If you have any technical issues during the assignment please contact the Shadow Health Support Team – http://link.shadowhealth.com/support.

1. Progress notes are an important part of our patient documentation record and should be completed with each Shadow Health Assignment. There is a section in the EHR where you can chart this progress note.
2. For examples of subjective data collection questions see the Subjective Data section in each chapter covered.
3. For sample subjective and objective charting related to this assessment see the Documentation and Critical Thinking section in each chapter covered.
4. When you are ready to submit your Assignment, click on this unit’s Dropbox link then click on Add Attachments. Then click on Upload and attach a Word Document with your note of completion in the Dropbox to notify your professor that the Assignment has been completed. Your note of completion should include Dear Prof. XXX I have completed the Unit 10 Shadow Health assignment and marked it for grading in Shadow Health. Thank you. Make sure to use the naming criteria when saving your document.

This assignment is due at 11:59 p.m. ET on Sunday.

Shadow Health Technical Support:

If at any time you have any questions or encounter any technical issues, please visit the Shadow Health Learner Support page at http://link.shadowhealth.com/support for contact information and hours.

Learning Moments

Evaluate the degree to which you have achieved the course outcomes.

The course outcomes are:

• Distinguish the elements in a holistic health assessment.
• Collect patient health history data.
• Apply inspection, palpation, percussion, and auscultation techniques to collect objective patient physical assessment data.
• Evaluate subjective and objective patient data to differentiate normal from abnormal findings.
• Document physical assessment data using professionally recognized format.

What were your biggest learning moments from this course? Think of the patient assessments you perform. What has changed based on your learning from this course?

This week you will have one Shadow Health Assignment to practice:

• Comprehensive Assessment

To begin this practice Assignment, open Shadow Health, select your Shadow Health course, and select the Comprehensive Assessment Assignment. Be sure to review the feedback you receive from Shadow Health at the end of your attempt, which can help you to improve upon reopening. Remember you do not have to start a second attempt from scratch. This is a re-open assignment.

1. Progress notes are an important part of our patient documentation record and should be completed with each Shadow Health Assignment. There is a section in the EHR where you can chart this progress note.
2. For examples of subjective data collection questions see the Subjective Data section in each chapter covered.
3. For sample subjective and objective charting related to this assessment see the Documentation and Critical Thinking section in each chapter covered.
4. You are encouraged to review the grading rubric for this assignment so you know how this will be graded in the next unit.

Shadow Health Technical Support:

If at any time you have any questions or encounter any technical issues, please visit the Shadow Health Learner Support page at http://link.shadowhealth.com/support for contact information and hours.

Health Promotion

As a new graduate nurse mentor in the practice setting you understand that parts of the assessments used by the examiner for the breast and male genitalia are very similar to the health promotion teaching done for self-breast and self-testicular exams. One of the new graduates you are mentoring has to teach one of her patients about a self-breast exam and another patient about self-testicular exam. The nurse is very nervous about discussing this kind of education and has never done it before.

• Describe how you, as the mentor, would deal with this situation and help the new employee. Provide a rationale for your approach.
• How would culture factor into your discussion about this education?
• Would you guide the new nurse to change their educational approach based on age?

Musculoskeletal and Neurological Exam

Organizing the assessments of the neurologic and musculoskeletal systems makes the assessments much easier.

The neurologic system assessment consists of five areas to assess: mental status, cranial nerves, motor system, sensory system, and reflexes. Often the mental status assessment is done at the beginning of the assessment as part of the General Survey, since it can identify if the person is a good historian. It is important to include the following components in a mental status assessment: Appearance and behavior, Speech and language, Mood, Thoughts and perceptions, and Cognitive function. The cranial nerves are mostly included in the assessment of the head and neck, and it is easy to include them all at that point. In addition, the senses of sight and hearing (more cranial nerves) are assessed when those organs are assessed. Often the sense of taste and smell are only assessed if the person reports a problem. All of this can simplify the process of this portion of the evaluation.

What is left in the neurological assessments are the motor, sense of touch, and reflex portions!

To assess the motor areas, one is looking at body position, muscle size, tone and strength, and if there are any involuntary movements. For the musculoskeletal system one needs to inspect for joint symmetry and abnormalities, palpate the joints for pain and crepitus, and assess range of motion. One can look at the joints and muscles, as well as sensory deficits of these areas together as one moves cephalocaudally, and proximally to distally throughout the body. Cerebellar function needs to be assessed, that is coordination, gait, and balance. That leaves just assessment of the reflexes.

Respond to the following Journal prompt by utilizing information you learned this week in class as well as your own experience and knowledge.

• Does this help to simplify the assessment of these seemingly complex body systems?
• Which assessments from this week will you use in your practice and which ones will you not? Provide a rationale for each stance.

Journal Requirements

Before you finalize your work, you should:

• be sure to read the Journal prompt carefully;
• consult the Grading Rubric in the Course Resources to make sure you have included everything necessary;
• utilize spell check and grammar check to minimize errors; and
• access information regarding APA citation information, such as the Writing Center if needed.

Your Journal entry should:

• clearly establish and sustain the viewpoint and purpose of the prompt;
• follow the conventions of Standard English (correct grammar, punctuation, etc.);
• be well ordered, logical, and unified, as well as original and insightful;
• display superior content, organization, style, and mechanics; and
• use APA 6th edition format for crediting sources.

This week you have two Shadow Health Assignments to submit for grading:

• Musculoskeletal
• Neurological

1. To begin these Assignments open Shadow Health from inside the course, select your Shadow Health course, and select the Assignment you would like to attempt first.. You will be able to re-open your completed practice attempt from last week so you can improve your score by asking more questions and performing additional assessments. You do not have to start a second attempt from scratch.

Making Corrections to Your Assignment

1. You will be able to reopen your completed attempts to make corrections and improve your score.
2. You DO NOT have to start these assignments from scratch
3. You can reopen these assignments to make corrections from the Assignment Overview or Assignment Results page by following these steps – https://link.shadowhealth.com/reopening.
4. Make sure to “Turn In” your assessment by the end of the unit by following these steps – https://link.shadowhealth.com/Turn-In-Attempt.

If you have any technical issues during the assignment please contact the Shadow Health Support Team – http://link.shadowhealth.com/support.

1. Progress notes are an important part of our patient documentation record and should be completed with each Shadow Health Assignment. There is a section in the EHR where you can chart this progress note.
2. For examples of subjective data collection questions see the Subjective Data section in each chapter covered.
3. For sample subjective and objective charting related to this assessment see the Documentation and Critical Thinking section in each chapter covered.
4. When you are ready to submit your Assignment, click on this unit’s Dropbox link then click on Add Attachments. Then click on Upload and attach a Word Document with your note of completion in the Dropbox to notify your professor that the Assignment has been completed. Your note of completion should include Dear Prof. XXX I have completed the Unit 8 Shadow Health assignment and marked it for grading in Shadow Health. Thank you. Make sure to use the naming criteria when saving your document.
5. Submit your work before midnight on the last day of the unit.

To view the grading rubric for this Assignment, please visit the Course Resources.

Submit your Musculoskeletal note of completion to the Dropbox: Unit 8: Assignment 1.

Submit your Neurological note of completion to the Dropbox: Unit 8: Assignment 2.

Shadow Health Technical Support:

If at any time you have any questions or encounter any technical issues, please visit the Shadow Health Learner Support page at http://link.shadowhealth.com/support for contact information and hours.

Journal Reflection

Purpose:

Journaling is an important part of your academic journey and allows you to pause, reflect, and critically think about the concepts you are learning.

Journal Reflection:

Respond to the following reflective Journal prompt by utilizing information you learned this week in class as well as your own experience and knowledge.  There is a 350 word minimum on this Journal.

• How thoroughly do you assess the skin of your patients?
• Which assessment techniques​ for the skin, hair, nails, head, face, neck, including regional lymphatics, eyes, ears, nose, mouth, and throat will you use in your practice and which ones will you not? Provide a rationale for each stance.
• How do you think adding these techniques into your approach will benefit your patients?

Assignment Requirements:

Visit the Writing Center for information about citing and formatting. Your Journal Assignment should:

• clearly establish and maintain the viewpoint and purpose of the Assignment;
• follow the conventions of Standard English (correct grammar, punctuation, etc.);
• be well ordered, logical, and unified, as well as original and insightful;
• display superior content, organization, style, and mechanics; and

View the Journal Grading Rubric located under Grading Rubrics in Course Resources.

Submit your Journal to the unit Dropbox before midnight on the last day of the unit.

This week you have two Shadow Health Assignments to submit for grading:

• Skin, Hair, and Nails
• HEENT

To begin these Assignments open Shadow Health from inside the course, select your Shadow Health course, and select the Assignment you would like to attempt first.  You will be able to re-open your completed practice attempt from last week so you can improve your score by asking more questions and performing additional assessments. You do not have to start a second attempt from scratch.

Making Corrections to Your Assignment

1. You will be able to reopen your completed attempts to make corrections and improve your score.
2. You DO NOT have to start these assignments from scratch
3. You can reopen these assignments to make corrections from the Assignment Overview or Assignment Results page by following these steps – https://link.shadowhealth.com/reopening.
4. Make sure to “Turn In” your assessment by the end of the unit by following these steps – https://link.shadowhealth.com/Turn-In-Attempt.

If you have any technical issues during the assignment please contact the Shadow Health Support Team – http://link.shadowhealth.com/support.

1. Progress notes are an important part of our patient documentation record and should be completed with each Shadow Health Assignment. There is a section in the EHR where you can chart this progress note.
2. For examples of subjective data collection questions see the Subjective Data section in each chapter covered.
3. For sample subjective and objective charting related to this assessment see the Documentation and Critical Thinking section in each chapter covered.
4. When you are ready to submit your Assignment, click on this unit’s Dropbox link then click on Add Attachments. Then click on Upload and attach a Word Document with your note of completion in the Dropbox to notify your professor that the Assignment has been completed. Your note of completion should include Dear Prof. XXX I have completed the Unit 4 Shadow Health assignment and marked it for grading in Shadow Health. Thank you. Make sure to use the naming criteria when saving your document.
5. Submit your work before midnight on the last day of the unit.

To view the grading rubric for this Assignment, please visit the Course Resources.

Submit your skin, hair, and nails note of completion to the Dropbox: Unit 4: Assignment 1

Submit your HEENT note of completion to the Dropbox: Unit 4: Assignment 2.

Shadow Health Technical Support:

If at any time you have any questions or encounter any technical issues, please visit the Shadow Health Learner Support page at http://link.shadowhealth.com/support for contact information and hours.

Respond to the following Journal prompt.

There are two assessment podcasts to review that will help you gain a better understanding of the importance of collecting and evaluating abnormal patient data.

1. Listen to the assessment podcasts and answer the following Journal questions:

            Podcast 1 (Transcript)

            Podcast 2 (Transcript)

• Gathering and evaluating pertinent patient data is critical to patient outcomes as seen in our practice example podcasts. What emotions did the podcasts bring up for you?
• Discuss the importance of collecting subjective and objective data to identify abnormal patient findings.

Journal Requirements

Before you finalize your work, you should:

• be sure to read the Journal prompt carefully;
• consult the Grading Rubric in the Course Resources to make sure you have included everything necessary;
• utilize spell check and grammar check to minimize errors; and
• access information regarding APA citation information, such as the Writing Center if needed.

Your Journal entry should:

• clearly establish and sustain the viewpoint and purpose of the prompt;
• follow the conventions of Standard English (correct grammar, punctuation, etc.);
• be well ordered, logical, and unified, as well as original and insightful;
• display superior content, organization, style, and mechanics; and
• use APA 6th edition format for crediting sources.

Submit your Journal to the unit Dropbox before midnight on the last day of the unit.