This practical resource provides complete and accurate information to help nurses improve their assessment skills and perform rapid and thorough examinations of any patient they encounter, including the acutely ill. After covering basic physical examination techniques and how to conduct a health history, the book walks through examinations from head-to-toe, by body regions, and then the body systems within those regions. This book also emphasizes the rapid detection of signs and symptoms of common disorders, thereby allowing the nurse to immediately apply assessment skills to patient needs. To facilitate ease-of-use and ready access to information, each of the assessment chapters are divided into two main sections: Exam Steps and Findings, which includes normal findings and abnormal findings and their interpretations; and Exploring Chief Complaints, which focuses on the patient's presenting problems and complaints in conjunction with their probable causes.