During the physical examination of the mouth, the nurse identifies vesicular eruptions along the client's lips and surrounding skin. Which problem should the nurse document?

Choice A Reason:
Family History is used to document health events in the patient's family, including diseases that may be hereditary or place the patient at risk. The statement about feeling like an elephant is sitting on the chest is not related to family health but is a description of the patient's current symptoms.

Choice B Reason:
Past Medical History includes information about the patient's past health issues, surgeries, hospitalizations, allergies, and treatments. It does not include current symptoms or the reasons for the current hospital visit.

Choice C Reason:
The Chief Complaint is the section where the nurse documents the primary reason for the patient's visit in their own words. The phrase "feels like an elephant is sitting on his chest" is a classic description of chest pain or discomfort, often associated with cardiac issues, and would be documented here as it represents the patient's main concern.

Choice D Reason:
Present Illness or History of Present Illness would include a detailed account of the development of the patient's illness or health concern. While it is closely related to the Chief Complaint, it is more detailed and includes the onset, duration, and character of the symptoms, among other aspects. The initial statement would be part of the Chief Complaint, which leads into the more detailed History of Present Illness.

Choice A reason:
Peripheral vision is the ability to see objects and movement outside of the direct line of vision. This type of vision is assessed using different methods, such as confrontation visual field testing, where the examiner moves objects into the patient's side vision from different angles. Standing 20 feet away from a chart would not be the appropriate method to assess peripheral vision.
Choice B reason:
The assessment of external eye structures involves examining the physical appearance and condition of the eyelids, sclera, conjunctiva, and surrounding areas. This is typically done at a close range and does not require the patient to stand at a distance from a chart. The nurse would inspect these structures directly, often with the aid of a penlight for better visibility.

Choice C reason:
Distant vision is the ability to see objects far away, and it is what the nurse is preparing to assess when the client is asked to stand 20 feet from a chart. This distance is standard for the Snellen eye chart, which is used to measure visual acuity. The chart has rows of letters that decrease in size, and the patient is asked to read the smallest line of letters they can see clearly. The Snellen chart is the most common method used by eye doctors to measure visual acuity.
Choice D reason:
Near vision is the ability to see objects that are close to the eyes clearly. It is assessed using different charts, such as the Jaeger eye chart, which contains blocks of text in various type sizes. The patient is asked to read the text at a close range, typically around 14 inches, not 20 feet. Therefore, standing 20 feet away from a chart would not be the method to assess near vision.