COLLECTING OBJECTIVE

DATA: THE PHYSICAL

EXAMINATION

MARY ELAINE T. TAPEL, RN., MAN

OBJECTIVE DATA

 Information about the client that the

nurse directly observes during interaction
with the client
Information elicited through physical
assessment techniques
3 BASIC KNOWLEDGE NEEDED IN THE
COLLECTION OF OBJECTIVE DATA:
 Types and operation of equipment
needed for the particular examination
 Preparation of the setting, oneself and
the client
 Performance of the four assessment
techniques: inspection, palpation,
percussion and auscultation
EQUIPMENT

 Be familiar with the equipment, know its

proper manipulation
 Gather all equipment & materials
needed
 PREPARING FOR THE EXAMINATION
PHYSICAL SETTING
 Comfortable, warm room
 Private area free of
interruptions
 Quiet area free of distractions
 Adequate lighting
 Firm examination table at
height that prevents stooping
 A bedside table/ tray to hold
the equipment needed
PREPARING ONESELF
 Assess own feelings & anxieties
 Prevent the transfer of infectious
agents
 Wash hands
 Wear gloves if anticipating
contact with body fluids
 Single use of pins
 Wear mask & protective eye
goggles
 APPROACHING AND PREPARING
CLIENT
 establish nurse – client relationship prior to PE
 Respect the client’s desires or request
 Urinate before the examination
 Change gown/ undress (leave the client)
 Begin examination with the less intrusive procedures
 Explain the procedure
 Proper positioning ( sitting, supine, dorsal recumbent,
sim’s position, standing, prone, knee – chest, lithotomy))
 PHYSICAL EXAMINATION TECHNIQUES
INSPECTION PALPATION
 Uses senses of vision, smell, &  Uses parts of the hands
hearing
 Light palpation: No
 Comfortable room
temperature depression of less than 1 cm
 Well lighted  Moderate palpation:
 Look & observe before depression of 1 – 2 cm
touching  Deep palpation (
 Expose only a body part being depression of 2.5 – 5 cm)
inspected
 Bimanual Palpation: Use of
 Compare appearance of two hands
symmetric body parts
 PHYSICAL EXAMINATION TECHNIQUES
PERCUSSION
 Tapping of body parts to produce sound waves
 Eliciting pain
 Determining location, size & shape
 Determining density
 Detecting abnormal masses
 Eliciting reflexes
 Three Types of Percussion
 Direct Percussion: direct
tapping of a body part with
one or two fingertips to elicit
possible tenderness
 Blunt Percussion: used to
detect tenderness over
organs by placing one hand
flat on the body surface
 Indirect/ Immediate
percussion
 PHYSICAL EXAMINATION TECHNIQUES
AUSCULTATION

 An assessment that
requires stethoscope to
listen to heart sounds,
movement of blood
through the vascular
system, movement of the
bowel, movement of air
through the respiratory
tract
PHYSICAL EXAMINATION TECHNIQUES
AUSCULTATION GUIDELINES

Eliminate distracting or competing noises

Expose the body part
Use the diaphragm to listen for high pitched
sound
Use the bell to listen to low pitched sound
Please open the link below

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_JsU-o3t0uM
Thank You!!!