Study Guide and Laboratory Manual for Physical Examination and Health Assessment, Canadian Edition, 4th Edition

by Carolyn Jarvis, PhD, APN, CNP, Ann L. Eckhardt, PhD, RN, Linda Van Pelt, NP-F, MScN and Lauren Irving, BScN, MN, NP-F

Introduction:

The “Study Guide & Laboratory Manual for Physical Examination & Health Assessment, 4th Canadian Edition” serves as an invaluable resource for students seeking to strengthen their physical examination and health assessment skills while honing their clinical judgment. This combined lab manual and workbook offer a comprehensive approach, presenting a range of activities and materials to facilitate hands-on learning in the realm of physical examination. With aligned reading assignments, terminology reviews, application activities, review questions, clinical learning objectives, documentation sheets, and narrative summary forms, this resource is enriched with answers on the companion Evolve website, ensuring a seamless learning and review experience. Moreover, the inclusion of electronic health record and evidence-informed practice components further enhances skill refinement.

Key Features:

1. Consistent Chapter Format: Each chapter adheres to a structured layout that encompasses sections such as Purpose, Reading Assignment, Glossary, Study Guide, and Review Questions, which are specifically designed to enhance clinical judgment. Notably, core body systems chapters incorporate a Skills Laboratory/Clinical Setting segment, encompassing Clinical Objectives, Instructions, and a regional Documentation sheet for practical completion.
2. Direct Chapter Correspondence: The manual aligns seamlessly with the textbook chapters, offering essential insights and guidance that greatly enrich clinical laboratory experiences and review opportunities.
3. Stimulating Critical Thinking: Many chapters are enriched with critical thinking exercises, providing suggested readings based on active participation in the skills lab and constructive discussions with instructors.
4. Audio-Visual Integration: Assignments featuring audio-visual components alongside related Critical Thinking Questions bridge the gap between visual video demonstrations of specific examination procedures and their practical applications within the skills lab.
5. Emphasis on Documentation: Coverage of the electronic health record, charting, and narrative recording furnishes students with concrete examples of how to meticulously document assessment findings, a skill of paramount importance in clinical practice.
6. Anatomical Identification: Anatomy labelling exercises offer visual reinforcement, aiding in the identification and comprehension of vital anatomy and physiology concepts.
7. Varied Learning Activities: The study guide activities embrace diverse formats such as short-answer, fill-in-the-blank, and labelling exercises, all of which reinforce crucial assessment information.
8. Text-Book Integration: Reading assignments are thoughtfully aligned with the text chapters, promoting the seamless integration of textbook content with practical application as facilitated by the laboratory manual.
9. Practical Assessment Tools: Documentation Sheets furnish both students and educators with the means to gauge knowledge mastery, employing forms commonly employed in skills labs or clinical settings.
10. License Exam Readiness: The incorporation of current RN and PN competencies throughout the manual assists students in better preparing for their licensure examinations.
11. Diverse Question Formats: Review questions, presented in short-answer, matching, and multiple-choice formats, offer an array of learning approaches to cater to different learning styles.
12. Narrative Summary Forms: Reflecting the charting style employed for narrative accounts of medical history and physical examination findings, these forms facilitate structured documentation.
13. Terminology Clarification: A comprehensive glossary fosters learning and comprehension of essential medical terminology.
14. Companion Resource: The Evolve website serves as an invaluable companion, offering answers to all the questions posed throughout the manual.

Conclusion: The “Study Guide & Laboratory Manual for Physical Examination & Health Assessment, 4th Canadian Edition” by Carolyn Jarvis, Ann L. Eckhardt, Linda Van Pelt, and Lauren Irving stands as an indispensable asset for students striving to fortify their practical examination skills and cultivate clinical judgment. Through its meticulously curated content, comprehensive format, and integration of technological resources, this manual effectively bridges theory and practice, enabling learners to excel in the field of physical examination and health assessment.