Student Name
Western Governors University
D222 Comprehensive Health Assessment
Prof. Name:
Date
The nurse greeted Mr. Robert Hall and initiated the session by asking about the reason for his visit. Mr. Hall explained that he had fallen earlier that morning after experiencing sudden dizziness upon exiting his car. He described the sensation as a wave of dizziness causing the garage to spin, leading to his fall. His daughter found him afterward. He also reported severe pain and swelling in his lower left leg, which he was unsure was related to the fall. The nurse expressed empathy toward his situation.
The nurse confirmed Mr. Hall’s full name and date of birth to verify identity. When asked about his awareness of location and date, Mr. Hall correctly identified that he was at Shadow General and provided the accurate date, demonstrating good orientation.
Mr. Hall shared that while he usually experiences mild arthritis pain, the pain in his left leg had intensified over the last two days, prompting him to seek medical attention even before his fall. He localized the pain to the lower left calf and described it as sharp and nagging, likening it to repeated jabbing. On a pain scale from 0 (no pain) to 10 (worst pain), he rated his current pain as a 2, noting it was milder now than before. The pain worsened with any activity, especially walking.
He had initially taken Advil without relief. He denied using herbal supplements but reported that applying heat usually alleviates his arthritis pain.
Mr. Hall has a history of osteoarthritis, hypertension, and an enlarged prostate. He was diagnosed with hypertension and arthritis around age 57, and with prostate enlargement at age 69. He controls his blood pressure with metoprolol, 25 mg daily, and his prostate condition with Proscar, 5 mg daily, both reportedly without side effects.
Mr. Hall reported no allergies to medications or latex. He takes Benadryl occasionally for sleep, approximately once or twice a week, but was unsure of the exact dosage. He adheres well to his prescribed medication regimen, with his daughter recently filling his prescriptions at a new pharmacy.
His father had colon cancer diagnosed too late for effective treatment, and his mother passed away from heart failure after generally being healthy.
He does not currently use alcohol or substances but occasionally drinks less than once a month. He smoked for 40 years, quitting at age 60. Mr. Hall exercises occasionally but has recently reduced physical activity due to dizziness and fatigue.
He denied fever, chills, cough, chest pain, abdominal pain, or swallowing difficulties. He has mild hearing loss managed with a hearing aid and uses glasses for reading. He has no history of blood clots or respiratory symptoms but noted numbness and tingling in his left lower leg associated with pain.
Mr. Hall reported some difficulty with morning stiffness affecting his ability to get out of bed but manages bathing, dressing, toileting, meal preparation, and feeding independently. His enlarged prostate sometimes causes bladder control issues, resulting in occasional accidents. He feels safe at home, although experiences loneliness when his daughter is not around.
He reports disrupted sleep without a fixed schedule, waking multiple times at night. He denies mood changes, anxiety, or depression, describing himself as generally laid-back and resilient.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| What brought you here today? | Fell after sudden dizziness; leg pain and swelling. |
| What is your full name? | Robert Hall. |
| What is your date of birth? | December 28th, [correct birth year provided]. |
| Do you know where you are? | Yes, Shadow General. |
| What day is it? | Correct date provided by Mr. Hall. |
| When did the leg pain start? | About two days ago, worsening since then. |
| Can you describe the pain? | Sharp, nagging, like repeated jabbing in the left calf. |
| How would you rate your pain (0-10)? | Currently 2, less intense than before. |
| Does anything make the pain worse? | Pain worsens even at rest and increases with walking. |
| Have you used anything for pain relief? | Took Advil without relief; heat usually helps arthritis pain. |
| Do you have any health conditions? | Osteoarthritis, hypertension, enlarged prostate. |
| When was your hypertension diagnosed? | At age 57. |
| How is your blood pressure controlled? | Taking metoprolol 25 mg daily; blood pressure is generally well-controlled. |
| Tell me about your arthritis. | Mild knee and hip pain with morning stiffness; recent leg pain is worse. |
| When were you diagnosed with prostate enlargement? | At age 69. |
| Do you have any allergies? | No known allergies, including medications and latex. |
| What medications do you take at home? | Metoprolol, Proscar, occasional Benadryl for sleep. |
| Do you take medications as prescribed? | Yes, consistently. |
| Do you take any vitamins or supplements? | No. |
| Do you experience any side effects from medications? | No. |
| How often do you use Benadryl? | Once or twice a week, dose unknown. |
| Can you tell me about your parents’ health? | Father had colon cancer; mother died from heart failure. |
| Do you use alcohol or substances? | Drinks infrequently; no substance use. |
| Do you smoke? | Former smoker; quit at age 60 after 40 years. |
| Do you exercise? | Occasionally, but limited recently by dizziness and fatigue. |
| Have you had fever or chills? | No. |
| Do you have hearing or vision problems? | Mild hearing loss (uses hearing aid), wears glasses for reading. |
| Do you have shortness of breath or cough? | No. |
| Do you have a history of blood clots? | No. |
| Do you have headaches or mood changes? | No frequent headaches; mood stable, no anxiety or depression. |
| Can you perform daily activities independently? | Yes, including bathing, dressing, toileting, and meal preparation. |
| Do you experience bladder or bowel control issues? | Occasional bladder accidents due to prostate enlargement; bowel control intact. |
| How is your sleep? | Irregular, wakes several times at night. |
| Question / Action | Response / Notes |
|---|---|
| Sometimes it’s tough to get back asleep afterwards. Have you noticed any confusion or forgetfulness? | No, I’m still pretty aware of what’s happening around me. |
| Tell me about your fall history | I’ve fallen a few times recently. I’d say maybe twice in the last 6 months. |
| How often have you felt dizzy? | — (No matching questions found) |
| Did you feel dizzy before falling? | Yes, this morning it just came on all at once. I didn’t even have time to steady myself on anything before I fell. |
| What brings on the dizziness? | I’m not too sure, but it could be my arthritis. The pain is different and more intense than usual arthritis pain. And it doesn’t explain the dizzy spells. |
| Do you have trouble with balance? | Yes, I usually don’t have this much trouble staying on my feet. |
| Do you use a walker or wheelchair? (Clarified to Do you use an assistive device to walk?) | I’ll occasionally use a cane to steady myself when sitting down or standing up. |
| Do you have any wounds or rashes on your skin? (Clarified to Do you have a rash or sores anywhere?) | No rashes here, but my joints have been looking a bit redder than usual. |
| Do you have any bruising? | I’ve got some nasty ones on my legs from the fall this morning. |
| Any itching? | I’m not very itchy anywhere, no. |
| Have you had any weight changes? | Yes, I’ve lost about 10 pounds recently. |
| Was your weight loss intentional? | No, losing that weight was entirely unexpected. |
| Do you have any problems with your mouth? | My mouth has been just fine. |
| Have you had any changes in appetite? | I have been a lot less hungry lately, now that you mention it. |
| Have you been getting together with friends or family? (No matching questions found) | — |
| Have your health concerns kept you from being social? | Yes, it’s getting tougher and tougher to get out of the house really. |
| How do you think your health is? | It’s been better. I eat alright, try to exercise, but lately I feel my health is pretty poor due to dizziness, leg pain, and the fall. |
| Have you been feeling fatigued? | Yes, I’ve been tiring out much easier these days. |
| Have you had any recent hospitalizations? | I came to the ER for a hip X-ray two months ago, no fracture, and wasn’t admitted. |
| I am going to begin your exam now. | Alright, all that sounds fine. I am going to start by taking your blood pressure. |
| What is your pain level from 0 to 10? | Right now, I’d call the pain a 2. It’s milder than before. |
| Assessed blood pressure after lying for 5 minutes | — |
| Assessed blood pressure after standing for 1 minute | — |
| Assessed blood pressure after standing for 3 minutes | — |
| Assessed IV bag and pump | — |
| Checked patient wristbands | All information is correct. |
| Assessed IV site | Dressing dry and intact. |
| Inspected head and face, nose, mouth, scalp, eyes, and forehead | — |
| Inspected limbs (legs, hands, feet) | Bruising on left thigh; redness, discoloration, and edema on left lower leg. |
| Auscultated carotids, heart sounds, and lung sounds (multiple lobes) | — |
| Palpated PMI, dorsalis pedis pulses, posterior tibial pulse, and lower extremities | — |
| Tested cognition (repeat and remember “apple,” “penny,” and “table”) | Patient able to repeat all three words correctly. |
| Tested fine motor skills, hip and knee strength, range of motion, skin turgor, and capillary refill | — |
| Tested gait | Hesitancy, discontinuity between steps, and time to complete >12 seconds. |
| Have you ever had any surgeries? | Yes, surgery for an abdominal hernia when I was 58. |
| How old were your parents when they died? | Father died of colon cancer; mother died of heart failure. |
| Do you feel safe at home? | Yes, I’ve always felt safe at home. |
| Is there anyone that you are afraid of? | No, I don’t think I’m afraid of anyone. |
| Fall prevention plan and education | Bed rails adjusted, call light given, fall risk bracelet given. Metoprolol dose review planned due to dizziness. Repeated education with every nurse. |
| Consent to start the fall prevention plan | Yes, you go right ahead. |
American Psychological Association. (2020). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (7th ed.). https://doi.org/10.1037/0000165-000
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