Abdominal Pain Assessment Abdominal Pain is a common presenting concern and can be related to an intra-abdominal process or to causes originating outside the abdomen. It is often a benign complaint but can also represent an underlying serious/urgent pathology. A detailed...

Acute Kidney Injury Formerly known as acute renal failure, acute kidney injury (AKI) is a reversible rapid reduction in glomerular filtration rate (GFR) or kidney function, resulting in an increase in serum blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine, and metabolic waste...

Affirming Care for Patients who are LGBTQIA2+ Affirming care recognizes the significant impact of sexual and gender minority (SGM) status on a person’s health and is critical to ensuring SGM patients receive culturally competent and clinically appropriate care (McElwain & Carr, 2021...

Amenorrhea The menstrual cycle is an important indicator of a female’s health. Disruptions of this cycle are common complaints seen by both women’s health and primary care providers. Amenorrhea is the absence of menses and can occur for a variety...

Automated External Defibrillator (AED) Device Operation The Automated External Defibrillator (AED) is a user-friendly medical device designed to analyze the heart's rhythm and deliver an electrical shock (defibrillation) when indicated, with the goal of restoring an effective cardiac rhythm during...

Back Pain Assessment Back pain is one of the most common causes for which people seek emergency care. Back pain can be relentless, causing some people to feel significantly debilitated. Back pain can affect people of any age. Mechanical back pain is the cause of 90...

Breast Assessment Breast examination is a crucial aspect of diagnosing, detecting, and monitoring breast diseases. Current guidelines for the frequency of female clinical breast examination are outlined below. Patient reports of breast pain, lumps, nipple...

Cardiovascular Assessment A focused cardiovascular assessment begins with taking a health history. While doing so, observe carefully for signs of inadequate perfusion or circulation, such as cyanosis, skin changes, dyspnea, or edema. Order of examination is performed as...

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) refers to the compression of the median nerve as it travels through the carpal tunnel causing pain, paresthesias, and weakness in the median nerve distribution (Kothari, 2024). CTS is a common disorder, often seen in...

Chronic Kidney Disease Previously referred to as chronic renal failure, chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a progressive, irreversible loss of kidney function resulting in reduced filtration, build-up of toxins and fluid, and electrolyte imbalances. Continued decline in...

Cranial Nerves There are 12 pairs of cranial nerves, which are assigned Roman numerals I through XII. Most of the cranial nerves are named for their function, such as the optic nerve, which is responsible for transmitting visual information. The cranial nerves...

Digital Rectal Exam Digital rectal examination begins with a detailed health history, while ensuring patient privacy. Carefully observe nonverbal cues of pain or discomfort. Obtain consent for the examination and secure a chaperone. Order of examination is...