Focused Assessment Examples

Focused Assessment Examples

At the time of referring to LPN/LVN practice, several more states are reluctant to use the expression “assessment,” preferring to refer to the precise duties and responsibilities which are covered by the practice’s opportunity of nursing practice instead. Regardless of terminology, the focused assessment is an assessment of an individual’s current status and the concerning situation at hand, contributing to comprehensive assessment by the RN, continuing to support ongoing data collection, and trying to decide who is required to build knowledge and updated about the information and when to inform. The LPN/LVN assigned to a specific group of patients can perform a focused assessment of the patient’s vital symptoms, heart rate, respiration, etc., and report any signs of deterioration to the RN or other clinical nurse provider so that a thorough assessment can be performed (PracticalNursing, 2022). Examples are most helpful in understanding focused assessments in nursing. As she checks on one of her patients, Janelle, a nurse, acts as shown in the example below. As soon as Janelle hears the call light ring, she rushes over to the patient’s room to respond. The night before, the patient fell and hit his head. Despite the fact that he didn’t exhibit any alarming symptoms at the time, he is currently complaining of blurred vision and pain in his right arm. Janelle makes the choice to focus her examination on the patient’s head, neurological function, and right arm. The patient’s head is the first area she examines, and she finds a sizable, tender bruise there. During the neuro tests that follow, she discovers that one pupil is bigger than the other. The patient struggles to maintain balance and has unequal strength on each side. She calls for a healthcare provider because these are unusual findings. The patient’s arm is the next area she focuses on evaluating. She observes that he is unable to move his arm and leg fully and actively. His attempt to fully lift his arm results in a clicking noise, and he is unable to do so. This information is given to the physician by Janelle. The doctor concludes that the patient dislocated his shoulder in the fall and orders additional tests to confirm this. A significant concussion was another injury he sustained. The quick evaluation by Janelle led to an accurate diagnosis and timely treatment.

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