You answer Ms. B's call light just after lunch. She complains of severe abdominal pain. What type of assessment should you perform?

A. Introduce her/himself. – Introducing oneself establishes a professional relationship, sets the tone for communication, and makes the patient feel acknowledged and comfortable.

B. Communicate trust. – While trust is essential, it is built over time through consistent and reliable care rather than being the first step in the interaction.

C. Provide support. – Providing support is part of therapeutic communication, but it is not the initial step in forming a nurse-patient relationship.

D. Appear interested. – While showing interest is important, the first step is to introduce oneself to establish identity and professional presence.

A. Systemic – A systemic assessment is a head-to-toe examination that evaluates all body systems. The patient’s condition change requires a more targeted approach.

B. Specialized – A specialized assessment refers to an in-depth evaluation of a specific condition, usually performed by a specialist.

C. Individualized – While all assessments should be individualized, this term does not specifically describe the type of assessment needed in response to a sudden change in condition.

D. Focused – A focused assessment is performed when there is a specific change in the patient’s condition, such as new-onset dyspnea. It concentrates on the affected system (e.g., respiratory system) to determine the underlying cause.