Assessing needs

People differ in many ways- Age, sex, physical form, ethnicity, religion, occupation, lifestyle etc.

Therefore, nursing assessment is about identifying which of these factors are important in relation to a particular patients health and care.

The purpose of nursing assessement if to find about your patients in relation to:

• Their physical needs
• Their psychological needs
• Their spiritual needs
• Their sociological needs

By doing so, a nurse would find:

• Actual problems- problems and needs that the patient actually has at a time
• Potential problems- Problems and needs that may arise as a result of the patients condition

There are several models, frameworks and theories used to undestand the needs of the patient and how it can help in assessing a patient.

Such concepts are based on author's belief and their nursing philosophy

Therefore, a concept is required that helps nurses to follow a systematic way of assessing a need of the patient.

Qualitative date:

• I am tall
• I eat all the time
• I have nocturia- (passing urine a lot at night) 

Quantitative date:

• He is 6 feet 3 inches tall
• He eats 8 meals a day
• His urine output is 1500ml at night times

Model of living

• Maintaining a safe environment- assessing physiological data (observations), vision and hearing, mobility vs immobility, tissue viability assessment, falls assessment. 
• Communication- Language spoke, Mental capacity, Hearling ability, Speech ability, Communication aids
• Breathing- Clear airways, Observe breating rate, depth and effort, Pain related to breathing, Smoking history
• Eating and drinking- Hydration, Nutrition, Swallowing and chewing, Patterns of eating and drinking, Dietary requirements, Religious requirements/ omissions, Weight and BMI, Allergies
• Eliminating- Elimination habits, Continence, Colostomy or ileostomy
• Personal cleansing and dressing- Hygiene needs, Assistance with dressing, Usual hygeine practice
• Controlling body temperature- Take temperature, Ability to maintain temperature
• Mobilizing- Normal gait- walking normal, Aids used for mobilization, Moving and handling assessment 
• Working and playing- Employment, Hobbies and interests, sports
• Expressing sexuality- Problems related to sexual functions
• Sleeping- Normal sleeping pattern, medication, activities to promote sleep
• Dying- Cultural and religious beliefs, Family/ friends, next of kin