Beyond the Bedside Chapter 15: Assessing
Turn scattered details into safe action. In this episode, we master purposeful, prioritized nursing assessment—what to gather, how to validate it, and when to escalate. You’ll apply OLD CARTS, the HELP doorway sweep, PCAM for social determinants, and ROS to build a clean database fast. We work three full cases—Sylvia Wu (communicable concern & triage), Susan Morgan (new MS & functional focus), and James Farren (grief, sleep, safety)—to practice QPA vs. focused vs. initial assessments, documentation that quotes the patient, HIPAA/privacy musts, and the Legal Alert on reporting critical changes immediately. Finish with NCLEX-style prioritization using Maslow and rapid checks you can use on your next shift.
You’ll learn: QPA vs. focused vs. emergency; cues vs. inferences; validation methods; high-impact documentation; equity-minded assessment with PCAM.
Tags: #NursingAssessment #NCLEXPrep #ClinicalJudgment #OLD_CARTS #HELP #PCAM #PatientSafety #Documentation #Triage #Maslow
