Seidel’s Physical Examination Handbook, eighth edition, is a portable clinical reference on physical examination that is suitable for students of nursing, medicine, chiropractic, osteopathic, and other allied health disciplines, as well as for practicing health care providers. It offers brief descriptions of examination techniques and guidelines on how the examination should proceed, step by step. This handbook is intended to be an aid to review and recall the procedures of physical examination. Because of its brevity specific techniques of history taking by organ system are not described.
The handbook begins with an outline of what information should be obtained for the patient’s medical history and review of systems. Subsequent chapters for each of the body systems list equipment needed to perform the examination and present the techniques to be used. Expected and Unexpected Findings follow the description of each technique, presented in distinctive color type for easy recognition. Numerous illustrations interspersed throughout the text reinforce techniques and possible findings. Pediatric examination variations are highlighted in each body systems chapter.
Each chapter offers Aids to Differential Diagnosis and also provides Sample Documentation, which is focused on a specific patient concern to illustrate good documentation practice. Subjective Data and Objective Data are clearly differentiated for each abnormality in the Aids to Differential Diagnosis section of each chapter in the eighth edition.
As in previous editions, separate chapters give an overview of the entire examination for all adults; for infants, children, and adolescents; for older adults; and for healthy females. The final chapter gives guidelines for Reporting and Recording findings.
New chapters in this edition detail the assessment of Vital Signs and Pain, an overview of the older adult examination, and an evaluation for sports participation.