Assessment Tools Analysis Paper

1514 Words7 Pages
Assessment Tools Analysis
NUR/440
May 23, 2011

Assessment Tools Analysis
Assessment tools proven to expand the assessment and evaluation skills for nurses in various stages of patient conditions; stress, sickness, and health through physical measures and evidenced-based research warrants strong attention. Argumentatively, clinical assessment is the most important aspect of nursing care. Therefore, nurses should heighten awareness by understanding assessment tools specific to vulnerable populations. Staying informed can positively affect quality of health care delivery through conceptualization of information, observation, issue identification, knowledge, instinct, and thorough use of assessment tools. Jean Watson, nursing theorist, correlates the same steps in the nursing process to the same steps in the scientific research process (Current Nursing, 2011). Tools are developed to study specific problems and they may share common measures such as age, gender, and race. Later in the analysis, a known vulnerable population; the American Indian will be introduced to all three of the randomly chosen assessment tools; Coping Resources Inventory for Stress, Dysfunctional Attitude Scale, and the Spiritual Involvement and Beliefs Scale. Identifying issues facing this unique community obtained through assessment tools analysis will be addressed independently.
The objective of this paper is to determine their value when applied to the American Indian population.
The first tool is called Coping Resources Inventory for Stress (CRIS). Matheny & Curlette (2010), describe this as a tool used to identify strengths and weaknesses in coping with stress itself. How a patient responds to external stimuli around him or her would be an example. Coping skills are developed during childhood and evident later in life. Jean Watson’s theory explains that nurses need to
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