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Nursing process is a problem-solving technique (Huckabay, 2009). The nursing cycle described in five parts of the nursing decision-making method (Yura and Wash, 1967) also involves assessment, diagnosis, planning, implementation and assessment. The nursing process was developed to identify, diagnose and treat medical-related patients. This is used to provide patient care planning in nursing and to look not only at the illness or disorder, but from a holistic point of view, to deliver comprehensive treatment (Slevin, 2011).
Why Do We Need To Assess Patients?
Assessment is the first stage structuring and shaping patient care. It is also considered the first stage delivering a personalised patient-centered care plan (Dougherty, Lister and West-Oram, 2015). (Barrett et al, 2014) assessment is a clinical process where the nurse performs a holistic assessment allowing the nurse to collect information on the wellbeing and lifestyle of the person to develop a thorough understanding of the individual’s emotional, physical and sociological wellbeing (Wrycraft, 2015:6). (Elkin, Perry and Potter, 2007) note that assessment is a system that helps the nurse to prepare and provide quality care.
Assessment aims at understanding the problem of the individual from their perspective rather than seeing a person with illness (Pryjmachuck, 2011). Assessment is a crucial step, which inform the nurse and providing the basis for patient care. To establish the profile and health status of a patient, a nurse needs to collect both objective and subjective information and medical and social history. Assessment is a method which allow the nurse to dig further into patient’s condition and eliminate further problems.
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Mr. Edward Johnson is an 87-year-old who has been admitted onto acute medical assessment via Accident and Emergency department after a fall at home where he sustained cuts and bruises to his face. He is also frail in health. Edward has a history of falls before where he underwent a surgical hip replacement in 2011 currently takes Calcichew D3 forte 500mg OD for calcium. Since his admission Edward has been found to have a chest infection.
During his admission, he seemed to be very confused and is not oriented to time, place or person. He wears a hearing aid due to being partially deaf in the left ear. Edward has been always been active before his recent diagnosis, he loved gardening and meeting his friends locally. He lives at home alone following the death of his wife who was his carer up to her death. He has his daughter who visits him weekly and she is worried about the wellbeing of her father.
