NR 509
General Assessment Constitutional
If you are conducting an annual physical examination, you are more likely
to conduct a detailed and complete head-to-toe examination than if you are
seeing an otherwise healthy patient in an outpatient clinic for a chief
complaint of rhinitis. - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔
The level of detail provided by the physical examination should relate to the
specific purpose of the visit or examination, the health of the individual, and
the findings on the exam. - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔
,Regardless of the focus for the exam, most physical assessments begin
with a general survey of the patient's appearance, height, and weight. - 🧠
ANSWER ✔✔
Your observations of the patient's appearance begin as soon as you
encounter the patient. - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔
When performing percussion, you will tap on the surface to help determine
the underlying structure. Note that only one finger rests on the surface
being percussed, and that finger is struck by one finger on the opposite
hand using a flicking action of the wrist. For best results, the striking finger
should strike the finger resting on the surface quickly and firmly and then
immediately be removed to prevent over dampening of the sound produced
by the technique. - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔
Chest Assessment - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔
The last step of the physical assessment of the chest includes auscultation
for both normal and abnormal breath sounds, which are categorized as
bronchial, bronchovesicular, vesicular, and adventitious (crackles or rales
and wheezes or rhonchi). - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔
,Location of the sound also determines if it is a normal or abnormal finding. -
🧠 ANSWER ✔✔
Be able to identify each sound but also to know where each sound should,
or should not, be heard. - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔
Skin Assessment - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔
The American Cancer Society (ACS) and the AAD recommend full-body
examinations for patients over age 50 years or at high risk, because
melanoma can appear in any location. - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔
General Appearance - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔
Is there clutching of the chest, pallor, diaphoresis, labored breathing,
wheezing, or coughing? Is there wincing, diaphoresis, protectiveness of a
painful area, grimacing, or an unusual posture favoring one limb or region
of the body? - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔
Breath odors can reveal the presence of alcohol or acetone (diabetes),
pulmonary infections, uremia, or liver failure. - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔
Odors can be important diagnostic clues, like the fruity odor of diabetes or
the scent of alcohol. - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔
COPYRIGHT©NINJANERD 2025/2026. YEAR PUBLISHED 2026. COMPANY REGISTRATION NUMBER: 619652435. TERMS OF USE. PRIVACY
STATEMENT. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
3
, How is the patient dressed? Is the clothing suitable for the temperature and
weather? Is it clean and appropriate to the setting? - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔
Never assume that alcohol on a patient's breath explains changes in
mental status or neurologic findings. - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔
Patients often prefer sitting upright in left-sided heart failure and leaning
forward with arms braced in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. - 🧠
ANSWER ✔✔
Anxious patients appear agitated and restless. - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔
Patients in pain often avoid movement. - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔
Make note of any weight changes.There is generalized fat distribution in
simple obesity and truncal fat with relatively thin limbs in Cushing syndrome
and metabolic syndrome. - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔
Causes of weight loss include malignancy, diabetes mellitus,
hyperthyroidism, chronic infection, depression, diuresis, and successful
dieting. - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔
General Assessment Constitutional
If you are conducting an annual physical examination, you are more likely
to conduct a detailed and complete head-to-toe examination than if you are
seeing an otherwise healthy patient in an outpatient clinic for a chief
complaint of rhinitis. - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔
The level of detail provided by the physical examination should relate to the
specific purpose of the visit or examination, the health of the individual, and
the findings on the exam. - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔
,Regardless of the focus for the exam, most physical assessments begin
with a general survey of the patient's appearance, height, and weight. - 🧠
ANSWER ✔✔
Your observations of the patient's appearance begin as soon as you
encounter the patient. - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔
When performing percussion, you will tap on the surface to help determine
the underlying structure. Note that only one finger rests on the surface
being percussed, and that finger is struck by one finger on the opposite
hand using a flicking action of the wrist. For best results, the striking finger
should strike the finger resting on the surface quickly and firmly and then
immediately be removed to prevent over dampening of the sound produced
by the technique. - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔
Chest Assessment - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔
The last step of the physical assessment of the chest includes auscultation
for both normal and abnormal breath sounds, which are categorized as
bronchial, bronchovesicular, vesicular, and adventitious (crackles or rales
and wheezes or rhonchi). - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔
,Location of the sound also determines if it is a normal or abnormal finding. -
🧠 ANSWER ✔✔
Be able to identify each sound but also to know where each sound should,
or should not, be heard. - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔
Skin Assessment - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔
The American Cancer Society (ACS) and the AAD recommend full-body
examinations for patients over age 50 years or at high risk, because
melanoma can appear in any location. - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔
General Appearance - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔
Is there clutching of the chest, pallor, diaphoresis, labored breathing,
wheezing, or coughing? Is there wincing, diaphoresis, protectiveness of a
painful area, grimacing, or an unusual posture favoring one limb or region
of the body? - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔
Breath odors can reveal the presence of alcohol or acetone (diabetes),
pulmonary infections, uremia, or liver failure. - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔
Odors can be important diagnostic clues, like the fruity odor of diabetes or
the scent of alcohol. - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔
COPYRIGHT©NINJANERD 2025/2026. YEAR PUBLISHED 2026. COMPANY REGISTRATION NUMBER: 619652435. TERMS OF USE. PRIVACY
STATEMENT. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
3
, How is the patient dressed? Is the clothing suitable for the temperature and
weather? Is it clean and appropriate to the setting? - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔
Never assume that alcohol on a patient's breath explains changes in
mental status or neurologic findings. - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔
Patients often prefer sitting upright in left-sided heart failure and leaning
forward with arms braced in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. - 🧠
ANSWER ✔✔
Anxious patients appear agitated and restless. - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔
Patients in pain often avoid movement. - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔
Make note of any weight changes.There is generalized fat distribution in
simple obesity and truncal fat with relatively thin limbs in Cushing syndrome
and metabolic syndrome. - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔
Causes of weight loss include malignancy, diabetes mellitus,
hyperthyroidism, chronic infection, depression, diuresis, and successful
dieting. - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔
