title: Physical assessment: a continuing need for clarification.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Physical assessment skills are a mainstay of the nursing process and are taught to pre-licensure learners. Little research has been conducted on the skills that are actually used in practice compared to those that are taught in pre-licensure education.
  
  
  METHODS
  This article provides an integrated literature review regarding physical assessment skills and their practical application.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Physical assessment skills are consistently referred to as part of the first step of the nursing process, but further clarification about which skills are included in the definition is needed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Further research is needed to clarify if what is taught is actually used and to what extent in clinical practice.
authors.affiliation: Drexel University, College of Nursing and Health Professions, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
authors.forename: Anita
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fennessey
authors.forename: Ruth A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Wittmann-Price
mesh_terms: D002983:Clinical Competence; D006801:Humans; D009730:Nursing Assessment / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards*; D009740:Nursing Staff / Q000592:standards*; D010808:Physical Examination / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards*