Cardiovascular System: Physical Examination Case Study

Exclusively available on Available only on IvyPanda® Made by Human No AI

Among various roles and responsibilities, emergency department nurses must understand the basics of cardiovascular examination and the necessary steps to assess the vital signs and observe the patient. Despite the evident technological progress and quick CT scans or electrocardiogram results, a thorough cardiac exam should never be ignored. Palpation, auscultation, and inspection are the three basics of any physical examination among cardiac patients (Keenan & Kucia, 2022). The first interaction is important as it allows the nurse to look at the patient, pay attention to facial expressions, and create an overall impression. The next step contains precordial inspection and palpation of any visible pulsations, physical damage (lesions, scars, or other trauma signs), the areas of valves, and the apex beat (Keenan & Kucia, 2022). The jugular venous distention is a required measurement of central venous pressure to estimate right-sided heart pressure (Thibodeau & Drazner, 2018). The nurse needs to look at the patient’s skin, nails, and mouth to develop other associations about the condition.

The patient from the case is alert and oriented, but her complaints of chest pain, headache, and blurred vision worsen, leading to excessive hunger, thirst, and urination. Thus, auscultation of heart sounds should be a cornerstone during the nurse’s exam. The patient is usually positioned in a semi-recumbent position for the examiner to reach, but other standard positions like left/right lateral decubitus are recommended (Keenan & Kucia, 2022). The nurse focuses on murmurs and describes them as systolic or diastolic, defining timing, location, duration, intensity, and quality. The Valsalva maneuver is effective in slowing down the heart beating and obtaining normal rhythm (Thibodeau & Drazner, 2018). In this case, the patient has lost 10 kg in the last month, and this fact should be considered during the examination of body build and skin color. Each element of the physical examination contributes to understanding the client’s history and current symptoms.

References

Keenan, J., & Kucia, A. M. (2022). Cardiovascular assessment. In A. M. Kucia & I. D. Jones (Eds.), Cardiac care: A practical guide for nurses (2nd ed., pp. 67–80). Wiley-Blackwell.

Thibodeau, J. T., & Drazner, M. H. (2018). . JACC: Heart Failure, 6(7), 543-551.

More related papers Related Essay Examples
Cite This paper
You're welcome to use this sample in your assignment. Be sure to cite it correctly

Reference

IvyPanda. (2023, August 9). Cardiovascular System: Physical Examination. https://ivypanda.com/essays/cardiovascular-system-physical-examination/

Work Cited

"Cardiovascular System: Physical Examination." IvyPanda, 9 Aug. 2023, ivypanda.com/essays/cardiovascular-system-physical-examination/.

References

IvyPanda. (2023) 'Cardiovascular System: Physical Examination'. 9 August.

References

IvyPanda. 2023. "Cardiovascular System: Physical Examination." August 9, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/cardiovascular-system-physical-examination/.

1. IvyPanda. "Cardiovascular System: Physical Examination." August 9, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/cardiovascular-system-physical-examination/.


Bibliography


IvyPanda. "Cardiovascular System: Physical Examination." August 9, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/cardiovascular-system-physical-examination/.

If, for any reason, you believe that this content should not be published on our website, please request its removal.
Updated:
This academic paper example has been carefully picked, checked and refined by our editorial team.
No AI was involved: only quilified experts contributed.
You are free to use it for the following purposes:
  • To find inspiration for your paper and overcome writer’s block
  • As a source of information (ensure proper referencing)
  • As a template for you assignment
Privacy Settings

IvyPanda uses cookies and similar technologies to enhance your experience, enabling functionalities such as:

  • Basic site functions
  • Ensuring secure, safe transactions
  • Secure account login
  • Remembering account, browser, and regional preferences
  • Remembering privacy and security settings
  • Analyzing site traffic and usage
  • Personalized search, content, and recommendations
  • Displaying relevant, targeted ads on and off IvyPanda

Please refer to IvyPanda's Cookies Policy and Privacy Policy for detailed information.

Required Cookies & Technologies
Always active

Certain technologies we use are essential for critical functions such as security and site integrity, account authentication, security and privacy preferences, internal site usage and maintenance data, and ensuring the site operates correctly for browsing and transactions.

Site Customization

Cookies and similar technologies are used to enhance your experience by:

  • Remembering general and regional preferences
  • Personalizing content, search, recommendations, and offers

Some functions, such as personalized recommendations, account preferences, or localization, may not work correctly without these technologies. For more details, please refer to IvyPanda's Cookies Policy.

Personalized Advertising

To enable personalized advertising (such as interest-based ads), we may share your data with our marketing and advertising partners using cookies and other technologies. These partners may have their own information collected about you. Turning off the personalized advertising setting won't stop you from seeing IvyPanda ads, but it may make the ads you see less relevant or more repetitive.

Personalized advertising may be considered a "sale" or "sharing" of the information under California and other state privacy laws, and you may have the right to opt out. Turning off personalized advertising allows you to exercise your right to opt out. Learn more in IvyPanda's Cookies Policy and Privacy Policy.

1 / 1