Nursing Physical Examination Course

Lesson 1 • The Four Core Examination Techniques

Covers inspection, palpation, percussion, and auscultation as foundational methods. Each technique is defined, sequenced, and linked to specific body systems.

Lesson 2 • Professional Communication and Rapport

Teaches verbal and nonverbal strategies for building trust before and during examination. Effective communication improves patient cooperation and data quality.

Lesson 3 • Principles of Clinical Assessment

Introduces the purpose, scope, and ethical framework of physical examination. Grounds all subsequent techniques in patient-centered, evidence-based practice.

Lesson 4 • Setting Up the Examination Environment

Addresses room preparation, equipment readiness, and patient positioning. Proper setup reduces error and supports accurate data collection.

Lesson 1 • Symptom Analysis Using OLDCARTS

Applies the OLDCARTS mnemonic to systematically characterize any symptom. Structured analysis prevents missed data and supports differential reasoning.

Lesson 2 • Review of Systems

Teaches a head-to-toe symptom inventory across all body systems. Systematic review uncovers problems not raised in the chief complaint.

Lesson 3 • Components of the Health History

Outlines all elements of a comprehensive health history, from chief complaint to family history. Provides the framework used throughout all subsequent assessments.

Lesson 4 • Medication and Allergy Review

Guides accurate collection of current medications, supplements, and allergy history. This data directly informs safe examination and care planning.

Lesson 1 • Oxygen Saturation and Pain Assessment

Introduces pulse oximetry technique and validated pain scales as additional vital parameters. These measures complete the baseline physiological profile.

Lesson 2 • Temperature Measurement and Interpretation

Covers oral, tympanic, axillary, and rectal temperature methods with normal ranges. Accurate technique prevents misclassification of fever or hypothermia.

Lesson 3 • Blood Pressure Measurement

Addresses manual and automated blood pressure techniques, cuff sizing, and positional variations. Correct method is essential for hypertension screening accuracy.

Lesson 4 • Pulse and Respiratory Rate Assessment

Teaches palpation sites, counting methods, and rhythm evaluation for pulse and respirations. Deviations signal cardiovascular or pulmonary compromise.

Lesson 1 • Head and Scalp Examination

Covers inspection and palpation of the skull, scalp, hair, and facial structures. Findings establish baseline cranial integrity and identify surface pathology.

Lesson 2 • Ear Assessment and Hearing Screening

Addresses otoscopic technique, tympanic membrane inspection, and basic hearing tests. Accurate ear assessment identifies infection, perforation, and hearing loss.

Lesson 3 • Eye Assessment and Visual Acuity

Teaches external eye inspection, visual acuity testing, and pupillary response evaluation. These skills detect refractive errors, neurological deficits, and ocular disease.

Lesson 4 • Mouth, Throat, and Neck Assessment

Covers oral cavity inspection, pharynx visualization, and neck lymph node palpation. Integrates HEENT findings into a unified regional assessment.

Lesson 1 • Cardiac Auscultation Technique

Develops systematic auscultation across the four cardiac valve areas using bell and diaphragm. Accurate technique is prerequisite to identifying murmurs and extra sounds.

Lesson 2 • Venous and Lymphatic Assessment

Addresses jugular venous pressure estimation, varicosity inspection, and edema grading. These findings complete the peripheral vascular and lymphatic profile.

Lesson 3 • Peripheral Pulse and Perfusion Assessment

Covers palpation of eight peripheral pulse sites and capillary refill testing. Peripheral findings reflect cardiac output and vascular integrity.

Lesson 4 • Heart Sounds and Murmur Identification

Trains recognition of S3, S4, clicks, rubs, and murmur characteristics. Grading and describing murmurs accurately guides further diagnostic workup.

Lesson 1 • Vocal Resonance and Tactile Fremitus

Teaches fremitus palpation and vocal resonance tests to confirm consolidation or effusion. These techniques add diagnostic specificity to percussion and auscultation findings.

Lesson 2 • Chest Percussion Technique

Applies mediate percussion to map lung fields and identify resonance changes. Percussion findings differentiate consolidation, effusion, and hyperinflation.

Lesson 3 • Lung Auscultation and Breath Sounds

Develops systematic auscultation of anterior, lateral, and posterior lung fields. Accurate sound identification is central to respiratory diagnosis.

Lesson 4 • Thoracic Anatomy and Landmarks

Reviews surface landmarks, thoracic cage structure, and reference lines used in respiratory assessment. Landmark knowledge is prerequisite to accurate finding localization.

Lesson 1 • Abdominal Percussion and Organ Sizing

Applies percussion to estimate liver span, spleen size, and detect ascites. Organ sizing findings guide palpation focus and clinical decision-making.

Lesson 2 • Abdominal Palpation Techniques

Teaches light and deep palpation for tenderness, guarding, and organomegaly. Systematic palpation sequence prevents missed findings and patient discomfort.

Lesson 3 • Abdominal Inspection and Auscultation

Covers visual assessment of contour, symmetry, and skin, followed by bowel sound auscultation. Auscultation precedes palpation to avoid altering bowel sounds.

Lesson 4 • Special Abdominal Tests and Findings

Introduces Murphy's sign, psoas sign, obturator sign, and costovertebral angle tenderness. Special tests increase diagnostic specificity for appendicitis, cholecystitis, and renal pathology.

Lesson 1 • Cranial Nerve Examination

Guides systematic testing of all twelve cranial nerves using standardized techniques. Cranial nerve deficits localize neurological lesions and guide further workup.

Lesson 2 • Motor and Cerebellar Function Testing

Covers muscle strength grading, tone assessment, and cerebellar coordination tests. Motor findings differentiate upper and lower motor neuron pathology.

Lesson 3 • Sensory and Reflex Assessment

Teaches dermatomal sensory testing and deep tendon reflex grading. Sensory and reflex findings map spinal cord and peripheral nerve integrity.

Lesson 4 • Mental Status and Cognitive Screening

Teaches structured assessment of orientation, memory, language, and executive function. Cognitive screening establishes baseline and detects acute or chronic changes.