Holistic Assessment of a Patient in a Clinical Setting Essay Example

PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE OF NURSING This essay provides a written account of the holistic assessment used when admitting a patient onto a respiratory ward. A brief outline is also included of the processes involved together with the resources used for collating information. Using the Roper, Logan and Tierney activities of daily living (ADL’s), eating and drinking, has been identified as one goal of nursing care. A short reflection has also been included based on experiences gained on a first clinical placement on the ward. For the benefit of this essay the selected patient will be referred to as Mrs P in order to maintain confidentiality. The first part of the nursing process is the assessment stage where information is collated, organised and examined about the patient (Peate, 2005). The person is assessed holistically by taking all the different elements that make up the individual into consideration (Siviter, 2004). Roper, Logan and Tierney’s ADL’s was used on the respiratory ward as the model for the nursing processes. Mrs P was admitted onto the ward having been diagnosed with hyperglycaemia. This is defined as an excess of glucose in the bloodstream (Oxford Dictionary of Nursing, 2004). On admitting Mrs P it is decided to conduct a mini assessment (Dougherty and Lister, 2004). It is suggested by (Ahern & Philpot, 2002) that according to (Norman and Cook, 2000) a mini assessment allows the nurse to focus on the “patients condition in order of priority”. By performing a quick visual and physical assessment (Dougherty and Lister, 2004), it was noticed that Mrs P was aware of her surroundings and alert but complained of a headache. Her skin and lips were dry indicating poor hydration. It was also noted that she had difficulties with communicating and appeared to be paralysed on her right side and in both her legs. Mrs P was also able to breath air without the aid of oxygen. She had also had a right breast mastectomy at