Course info

Advanced Health Assessment

This course builds on the knowledge and skills from undergraduate nursing programme. It will provide students with the advanced knowledge which will develop sequentially from the interview, history taking and physical examination of a normal individual. The knowledge and skills will assist students in the ACDM course which focus on the recognition of pathological or disease states and finally to the assessment and management of the full spectrum of primary care problems.  This will include relevant theoretical and clinical experience required to assess health risks and needs of all age groups with special attention to children, pregnancy and old age. The student will learn to elicit both comprehensive screening health histories and problem oriented health histories and to perform both complete and focused physical examination. The student will also learn to systematically and concisely present the findings orally and in writing, using the SOAP (Subjective, Objective, Assessment, Plan) format. Clinical-decision making skills are emphasized through repetitive demonstration, practice and discussion of appropriate review of systems, the history of present illness and abnormal signs and symptoms. In order to be successful in this course, students must perform and pass an objective adult history and physical examination.