ABSTRACT
Although considered an essential nursing skill, systematic physical assessment is rarely visible in everyday practice. Some nurses question whether systematic physical assessment is relevant to nursing, and others complain that they do not see it used in practice. Why is this, when these skills are considered so integral to nursing? This article challenges nurse educators to reflect on the purpose of the systematic physical assessment within nursing by analyzing the underlying assumptions of this apparent "sacred cow."
AUTHOR
Received: February 23, 2009
Accepted: August 30, 2009
Posted: March 1, 2010
Mrs. Zambas is Senior Lecturer, School of Health Care Practice, Auckland University of Technology, Auckland, New Zealand.
The author thanks Dr. Jane Koziol-McLain for her guidance and encouragement to publish the ideas contained in this article.
The author has no financial or proprietary interest in the materials presented herein.
Address correspondence to Shelaine Iris Zambas, MScEd, BSN, RN, Senior Lecturer, Auckland University of Technology, Private Bag 92006, Auckland 1142, New Zealand; e-mail: szambas@aut.ac.nz.
doi:10.3928/01484834-20100224-03
