Health Assessment [Paperback]

Health assessment is central to effective planning, implementation and evaluation of nursing care. All nurses are accountable for the care they provide and need to be able to accurately determine patient needs in order to plan and deliver evidence-based care. Vital notes for nurses: Health assessment provides students with the knowledge required to consider the many different factors which can influence patient’s health, comfort, well-being and recovery and to confidently assess patient needs.

Vital notes for nurses: Health assessment explores concepts of holism, health and illness, factors to consider when assessing patients, communication skills needed for assessment, and all aspects of holistic assessment including physical, psychological, social, cultural and spiritual factors and nutritional needs.

* Provides a concise, accessible introduction to health assessment
* Includes physical, psychological, social, cultural and spiritual health assessment
* Explores essential concepts in assessment and care planning
* Within the Vital Notes for Nurses series
* Adopts a holistic approach

Preface xi

Acknowledgements xii

Dedication xiv

List of contributors xv

1 The human body (C. Meurier) 1

Section 1: Introduction 1

Anatomical terms 2

Levels of organisation of the body 4

Hierarchy of functions 5

The basic structure of cells 5

Homeostasis 8

Organ systems 11

Section 2: The integumentary system 11

Structure of the skin 12

Thermoregulation and the skin 14

Section 3: The mulÓÎ