Health Assessment

I was about halfway through the first session of a health assessment class when one of the RN to BSN students, face twisted in puzzlement, stuck her hand up in the air.

Uh, umm, do we really have to learn this stuff it seems like you’re teaching it at a nurse practitioner level not our level? (Said in one whiney complaining tone)

I had been going over how to take a complete health history and all the different components of taking a complete health history. These nurses were all used to running into the room, asking about ten minutes worth of questions, and then running back to the nurses’ station to finish the other hour of admitting paperwork. I was teaching all the aspects of the health history. As an example I’ll post part of what one might want to gather for a health history.

Biographical data

Chief complaint

History of present illness

Current health and lifestyle practices

Perceived health status

Allergies

Medications

Immunizations

Substance abuse

Abusive behavior

Complimentary therapies

Past health history

Medical problems

Hospitalizations

Surgeries

Infectious diseases

STD’s

Family health history

Review of systems

And there is quite a bit more as nurses use a slightly different approach to gathering a complete health history.

I posted a 25 page complete health history for pediatrics on their class website to give them an idea what degree of depth can be accomplished if one has time. I also posted several 10 to 12 page typed completed health histories of adults. A complete health history includes the history and physical, and assessment and plan for a patient. They don’t have to do the assessment and plan portion of health history.

Wow what a concept. They have to learn something new. This is exactly one of those things that are difficult to explain to ADN prepared nurses. The physical exam class I took for the BSN program was far more in depth and demanding than the health assessment techniques incorporated into and taught at the ADN program where I also teach. I don’t have control over the content of either courses I just teach them off of the provided syllabus.

I so wanted to say; You are attending a private university listed as one of the top 100 universities in the country. We are not just going to hand you a grade without you showing me you can do the work. You are wasting your employers money if you think I am just going to pass you because you show up. I did tell them that this course is very demanding and that they are going to have to work very hard to pass the course. I had the very same course and was not given a pass and now thank the instructor for maintaining academic standards. I don’t believe in dumbing (yes I know not technically a word) down education.

So, do I take a block of cheese with me to the next class?

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