Usefulness of physical examination in the professional practice of nurses

Abstract

Introduction: Performing a physical examination of a patient is one of the basic clinical competencies in nursing practice. It forms the basis for preparing nursing students for practice. Obtaining subjective and objective data through physical assessment enables nurses to make a diagnosis of the clinical condition of patients. The physical examination is primarily aimed at assessing the condition of the patient, so that an accurate nursing diagnosis can be made and appropriate measures can be taken to correct the problems that accompany the patients. The ability to conduct a physical examination enables better cooperation with other members of the therapeutic team. It is also believed that the ability of nurses to conduct a physical examination significantly enhances the competence of nurses. The aim of this paper was to assess the usefulness of physical examination in daily professional practice according to nursing staff. Material and methods: The study was conducted in a group of 186 nurses employed at a hospital in Podkarpackie voivodeship in Poland. The study was conducted in May 2023. The study used a diagnostic survey method with the use of a proprietary survey questionnaire. Participation in the study was random, anonymous, and voluntary. Results and conclusions: 35.9% of the nurses surveyed claimed they did not perform physical examinations very often. In contrast, 24.3% of the respondents said they performed them very often. 16.5% of respondents said they performed them several times a day. The majority of respondents believed that they were the right people to perform physical examinations. According to the respondents, physical examination is an important part of a nurse's work and has a great impact on patient treatment. Too infrequent performance of physical examinations among nurses is due to work overload and additional duties, as well as lack of confidence.