Summary
Highlights
The student nurse, Shantal Lati, introduces the video, which will demonstrate a proper head and neck assessment. Before starting, she gathers necessary equipment. She then introduces herself to the patient, verifies the patient's name and birthdate, and explains the procedure, ensuring the patient's consent and confidentiality.
The student nurse takes a quick history, asking about any lumps, lesions, difficulty with head and neck movement, facial or neck pain, frequent headaches, dizziness, or fainting. She also inquires about past head or neck problems, family history of head/neck cancer or migraines, and lifestyle habits like wearing hats/helmets or recreational activities.
Before starting the physical assessment, the student nurse performs hand hygiene and closes the curtain to ensure the patient's privacy. She then puts on gloves.
The student nurse begins by inspecting and palpating the patient's head. She observes the scalp for any lesions, scars, masses, parasites, or alopecia. She notes that the head is symmetrical, round, erect, in the midline, and normocephalic, meaning it is appropriate for the patient's body size.
Next, the nurse checks facial symmetry and movement. She assesses cranial nerve number seven (facial nerve) by asking the patient to raise eyebrows, blink, close eyes tightly, smile, frown, and puff cheeks. She observes no abnormalities or drooping of the face.
The student nurse palpates the temporal artery and then assesses the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) by asking the patient to bite down and open their mouth. She checks for any swelling, clicking, pain, or tenderness in these areas, and the patient reports none.
Moving to the neck, the nurse observes and palpates it. She asks the patient to sip and swallow water to check the midline and appearance of the thyroid gland, noting no bulging or swelling. She also checks for tenderness or pain.
The nurse checks the cervical vertebrae and assesses the neck's range of motion by asking the patient to turn their head side to side, look up at the ceiling, and down at the floor. She observes no irregularities or reported pain/tenderness during these movements.
The student nurse palpates the trachea, confirming it is in the midline and its rings are working effectively during swallowing. She then auscultates the thyroid gland to check for any bruits by asking the patient to inhale, hold their breath, and exhale. She notes no bruits and that the carotid arteries are functioning well.
Finally, the nurse palpates various lymph nodes: preauricular, postauricular, occipital, tonsillar, submandibular, submental, superficial cervical, deep cervical chain, posterior cervical, and supraclavicular nodes. She gently touches the patient's face and neck during this process.
The student nurse concludes the assessment, stating that she found no abnormal findings. She informs the patient that if any questions, clarifications, or health concerns arise, she will refer them to their attending physician. She thanks the patient for their cooperation and provides advice on maintaining health, including taking vitamins, drinking enough water, and eating a balanced diet.