Chapter 4 – Cardiovascular System Assessment
Key Takeaways
- Common symptoms to assess related to the cardiovascular system include chest pain, dyspnea, arrhythmias, coughing/wheezing, and edema.
- The objective assessment of the cardiovascular system is always performed on bare skin and involves a combination of positions including sitting upright, head of bed at 45 degrees, and supine.
- A trauma-informed approach to the objective assessment is necessary considering that areas of the chest are being exposed.
- The objective assessment includes auscultation and palpation of the carotid arteries, inspection of the jugular pulsation, and inspection, palpation, and auscultation of the heart.
- Health promotion interventions should be developed in collaboration with the client to address what is important to them.
