How to Perform self-breast Examination
The nurse should inform a patient to administer a self-breast examination while in a vertical position. The patient should stand when she does the examination. She should stand before a mirror during the process. The patient should check for any lumps or knobs on the surface of the breasts (Mendelsohn, 2003). Her hands should be raised and then pressed tightly on the hips. This should reveal changes in the nature and structure of the breasts. Finally, she should inspect the breasts while in a flat position. This means that she has to lie down. With the right palm, she should examine for lumps on the left breast by use of globular motions over the exterior of the breast (Hogan-Quigley, Palm and Bickley, 2012). She should do this gently in both clockwise and anticlockwise directions. She should start from the peripheral parts of the breast and move slowly towards the nipples. Finally, she should do the same on the right breast. Any lump or discharge that she detects has to be reported to the nurse.
Health History Related To the Breasts
Health history is critical in the assessment of risk for breast cancer. Health history related to breasts directs the nurse’s attention to potentially appropriate symptoms. It provides a foundation for interpretation of results of breast examination (Winchester, 2006). It must include test practices that a patient employed in breast examination. Additionally, it has to include the time when the examination was done, and the results obtained. The practices can be self-breast examination (SBE), clinical breast examination (CBE) or mammograms. Health history record has to include changes that have occurred in the breasts. These changes include the dimensions and figures of breasts (Bickley, Bates & Szilagyi, 2008). Finally, health history records must include information that assesses the risk for breast cancer. Thus, it has to include the age and family history of the individual. Other necessary information includes cosmetics use, surgeries done, health promotion behaviors and so on.
Information to Document during Physical Breast Examination
The nurse has to document vital information obtained during the examination of the breasts. The pertinent information should comprise a summary of health history related to the breasts. Additionally, the methods used to screen the breasts, changes in breasts and risk factors for breast cancer have to be documented. Furthermore, the nurse has to document the hormonal conditions at the time of examination. She has to note the symmetry of the breasts and palpation of the lymph nodes (Barth, 2010). Moreover, the nurse has to document the tenderness of the breasts and the interpretation of the breast examination done.
References
Barth, V. (2010). Diagnosis of breast diseases: Integrating the findings of clinical presentation, mammography and ultrasound. Stuttgart: Thieme.
Bickley, S., Bates, B., & Szilagyi, G. (2008). Bates’ Guide to Physical Examination and History Taking. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
Hogan-Quigley, B., Palm, M., & Bickley, L. (2012). Bates’ Nursing Guide to Physical Examination and History Taking. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
Mendelsohn, S. (2003). A woman’s breast self-exam journal: An appointment with the self. Victoria: Trafford Books.
Winchester, D. J. (2006). Breast cancer. Hamilton: Decker.