Conduct a thorough, patient-focused, health assessment…every time.

This practical, real-world approach provides all of the how-tos, what-tos, when-tos, and why-tos you need to master the art and science of assessment in a well-organized, well-illustrated text that makes the material easier to learn now and reference later.

The book simplifies the approach to assessment in two ways. First, it focuses on the normal and the normal variants of the adult, child, elderly, and pregnant patients that you’ll see most frequently in practice. Then, when a finding falls outside of those parameters, you’ll be able to identify it as abnormal. Second, assessment is presented as a linear and consistent process; so you are able to undertake the same steps in the same order to ensure that you don’t miss anything.

An access code inside new printed texts unlocks your DavisPlus Premium online resources, including your Davis Digital eBook, the complete text online, for study anytime, anywhere, and a wealth of learning tools and references.

See what people are saying...
“Must have text for Nursing Health Assessment class. Well written, easy to read, great online resources for faculty. Excellent resource for clinical setting.”
- Kimberly F.

“This book is an excellent resource for all nursing students with an easy to use format. Nursing faculty will find that this book provides excellent quiz questions, supportive materials, and resources. A must for nursing students in health assessment courses and in clinical settings!”
- Amazon Reviewer

“This is a must! Excellent assessment text for health care providers. It has great tips and is an easy read. I would highly recommend it.”
- Rose I.

"Essential Health Assessment is a remarkably new way to structure and improve health assessment teaching for nursing students. The book is uniquely structured, with outstanding and novel features. It is packed with highly useful real-life illustrations and images, and the layout is beautiful, with excellent use of color coding, similar organization from chapter to chapter, boxes and tables. Unique features include appropriate cultural care, veteran care, holistic concepts such as CLEAR communication, spiritual assessment, and Safe Effective Nursing Care (SENC). Additional notable distinctions are several chapters of high quality content on special populations, including pediatrics, separated into newborn and child/adolescent chapters, as well as a chapter each on assessment of the pregnant woman and of the older adult. It is unusual for health assessment textbooks to offer this level of detail on special populations, and it is a welcome and needed addition. Nursing students, working nurses and faculty alike, should all find this new textbook a unique and ideal resource for learning and practicing health assessment."
- Mary A. Helming PhD, APRN, FNP-BC, AHN-BC
Professor of Nursing, Quinnipiac University School of Nursing
Hamden, CT

1. Understanding Health Assessment
2. Interviewing the Patient for the Health History
3. Taking the Health History
4. Assessing Nutrition & Anthropometric Measurements
5. Assessment Techniques
6. General Survey and Assessing Vital Signs
7. Assessing Pain
8. Assessing Skin, Hair, and Nails
9. Assessing the Head, Face, Mouth, and Neck
10. Assessing the Ears
11. Assessing the Eyes
12. Assessing the Respiratory System
13. Assessing the Cardiovascular System
14. Assessing the Abdomen
15. Assessing the Peripheral Vascular System and Regional Lymphatic Systems
16. Assessing the Musculoskeletal System
17. Assessing the Neurological System
18. Assessing the Female Breasts, Axillae and Reproductive System
19. Assessing the Male Breasts and Reproductive System
20. Assessing the Anus and Rectum
21. Assessing the Newborn
22. Assessing the Child and Adolescent
23. Assessing the Pregnant Woman
24. Assessing the Older Adult

Index
Advanced Assessment Techniques (online at DavisPlus)
References (online at DavisPlus)