Physical Findings and Assessments

The Physical Findings and Assessment course provides participants with a general overview of physical assessment techniques for major systems including cardiovascular, respiratory, peripheral vascular, skin, abdominal, head/eyes/ears/nose/throat (HEENT), neurological and musculoskeletal. The course reviews the strategies to facilitate effective patient interviews to perform basic physical assessment on patients. The course focuses on the skills and knowledge needed to interpret physical findings that are pertinent to patient assessment and evaluation of drug therapy and serves to complement the knowledge and skills learned from previous education and experience.   

This is a hybrid course.  The majority of content will be delivered online, but there is a mandatory in-person Workshop that all learners must attend on Saturday November 15 and Sunday November 16 at the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto. 

Learning Objectives

By the end of this course, learners will be able to:

1. Discuss a systematic approach to performing a physical examination of a patient using all four modes of assessment: inspection, palpation, percussion and auscultation (IPPA).
2. Explain and interpret physical assessment findings that are pertinent to a patient’s complaint and condition based on knowledge of anatomy, physiology and pathophysiology for the following organ systems: skin, head, ear, eye, nose, throat (HEENT), cardiovascular (CV), respiratory (RESP), central nervous system (CNS), musculoskeletal (MSK), abdominal.
3. Describe the role of the patient interview in patient assessment.
4. Effectively use a systematic process to perform select basic physical assessment techniques on a virtual patient.
5. Develop monitoring/follow up plans to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of drug therapy for selected disease states.
6. Integrate physical assessment parameters into monitoring/follow up plans including anticipated time-frame and expected degree of change.
7. Develop monitoring/follow up plans for patients experiencing adverse drug reactions for selected medications including expected degree of and time to resolution.
8. Undertake assessment and care plan development activities in a manner respecting patient autonomy and individual therapeutic goals.
9. Demonstrate respect for patient privacy, autonomy and well-being during physical examination.

Who should take this course?

Pharmacists seeking to enhance their foundational knowledge in physical findings and assessments, including those working in community pharmacies, hospitals, long-term care facilities, and other healthcare settings.

Competencies  

Systematic Physical Examination:

• Perform a comprehensive physical examination using inspection, palpation, percussion, and auscultation techniques.
• Identify and describe normal and abnormal findings during a physical examination.

Interpretation of Physical Findings:

• Analyze and interpret physical assessment findings for various organ systems (skin, HEENT, CV, RESP, CNS, MSK, abdominal).
• Correlate physical findings with underlying anatomy, physiology, and pathophysiology.

Patient Interview:

• Conduct thorough patient interviews to gather relevant health history and symptoms.
• Utilize effective communication skills to elicit accurate and comprehensive patient information.

Basic Physical Assessment Techniques:

• Apply systematic processes to perform basic physical assessment techniques on virtual patients.
• Demonstrate proficiency in using virtual simulation tools for physical assessments.

Monitoring and Follow-Up Plans:

• Develop and implement monitoring and follow-up plans to evaluate drug therapy effectiveness and safety.
• Adjust monitoring plans based on patient response and clinical guidelines.

Integration of Physical Assessment Parameters:

• Incorporate physical assessment findings into monitoring and follow-up plans.
• Predict expected changes and timeframes for patient outcomes based on assessment data.

Respect for Patient Autonomy:

• Create care plans that respect patient autonomy and individual therapeutic goals.
• Engage patients in shared decision-making processes.

Patient Privacy and Well-Being:

• Maintain patient privacy and confidentiality during physical examinations.
• Demonstrate empathy and respect for patient well-being throughout the assessment process.