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1. What are the four main components of a comprehensive health history? How do they
differ depending on the patient's age, gender, and cultural background?
- The four main components of a comprehensive health history are: biographical data,
reason for seeking care, present health or history of present illness, and past health.
They differ depending on the patient's age, gender, and cultural background because
these factors may influence the type, amount, and relevance of information that the
patient provides or the nurse elicits. For example, older patients may have more chronic
conditions, medications, and previous surgeries than younger patients; women may
have different reproductive and sexual health issues than men; and patients from
different cultural backgrounds may have different beliefs, values, and preferences
regarding health and illness.
2. What are some common or important symptoms to assess in each body system? Give
an example of a symptom analysis question for each system.
- Some common or important symptoms to assess in each body system are:
- Skin: rash, itching, lesions, changes in color or texture
- Head and neck: headache, dizziness, vision problems, hearing loss, sore throat,
swollen glands
- Chest and lungs: chest pain, shortness of breath, cough, wheeze, sputum production
- Heart and vascular: palpitations, chest pain, edema, claudication, varicose veins
- Abdomen: pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, jaundice, indigestion
- Genitourinary: dysuria, frequency, urgency, hematuria, incontinence, sexual
dysfunction
- Musculoskeletal: pain, stiffness, swelling, deformity, limitation of movement
- Neurological: weakness, numbness, tingling, tremor, seizures, loss of consciousness
- An example of a symptom analysis question for each system is:
- Skin: When did you first notice the rash? What does it look like? Where is it located?
Does it itch or hurt? Have you tried any treatments for it?
- Head and neck: How often do you have headaches? How severe are they? Where do
you feel them? Do they have any triggers or relieving factors? Do you have any
associated symptoms such as nausea or sensitivity to light or sound?
- Chest and lungs: How long have you had shortness of breath? Is it worse with
exertion or at rest? Do you have any chest pain or tightness? Do you cough up any
sputum? What color is it? Do you have any history of asthma or smoking?
- Heart and vascular: Do you ever feel your heart racing or skipping beats? Do you
have any chest pain or pressure? Does it radiate to your arm or jaw? Is it provoked by
exercise or stress? Do you have any swelling in your legs or feet? Do you have any
difficulty walking due to leg pain?
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