Nursing Assessment

Taking the history of a patient is a crucial aspect of patient assessment and treatment. A good history can mean the difference between a successful patient outcome and unsatisfactory outcomes. However, taking a complete and useful history is a skill that is developed by means of training and practice; it is not some talent that is innate (Bickley & Szilagyi, 2007; McKenna et al., 2011). According to Craig (2007) nurses are increasingly being asked to take patient histories. Given these growing responsibilities nurses need training and guidelines to taking an adequate patient history. The following is a summary and critique of Craig, L. H, (2007), A "Guide to Taking a Patient's History" in Nursing Standard, volume 22, issue 13, pages 42-48.

Craig (2007) takes a comprehensive approach to explaining the interview and history taking process. This approach is applicable for most any patient population; however, Craig does not...
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