Chapter 2

Physical examination
Physical assessment
Physical examination is an important tool
in assessing the client’s health status.
Approximate 15% of the information used in
the assessment comes from the physical
examination. It is performed to collect
objective data and to correlate it with
subjective data.
Purposes of Physical assessment
1. To collect objective data from the client
2. To detect the abnormalities with systematic
technique early
3. To diagnose diseases
4. To determine the status of present health in health
check-up and refer the client for consultation if
needed
1. Physical Assessment Skills
There are four basic techniques to use in performing a
physical assessment: inspection, palpation,
percussion, and auscultation.
A. Inspection
Definition: To use the senses of vision, smell, and
hearing to observe the normal condition or any
deviations from normal of various body parts.
B. Palpation
Definition: To touch and feel body parts with hands
in order to determine the following characteristics:
1. Texture (roughness/smoothness)
2. Temperature (warm/hot/cold)
3. Moisture (dry/wet/or moist)
4. Consistency of structures (solid/fluid filled)
Technique of palpation
1. examiner’s fingernails should be short.
2. The most sensitive part of the hand should be used
to detect various sensations
3. Light palpation precedes deep palpation
4. Tender areas are palpated last
c. Percussion
Definition; to tap a portion of the body to elicit
tenderness or sounds that vary with the density of
underlying structures.
Methods of percussion
Two methods of percussion can be used:
 Direct – sometimes called immediate and
 Indirect – called mediate
D. Auscultation
Definition: To listen for various breath, heart, and bowel
sounds, using a stethoscope.
Technique
1.Use a good stethoscope that has
 Diaphragm and bell.
2.The diaphragm and bell are used differently to detect
various sounds.
THANKS YOUR
ATTENTION!!!!!!