Collecting patient data is a core step in the nursing process. Often referred to as a nursing health assessment interview, nurses—and nursing students enrolled in nursing programs—must systemically collect patient health information so patients can receive the care they need.

While it’s tempting to think otherwise, health assessment in nursing is so much more than asking questions. It’s the gateway to building an effective nurse–patient relationship that will make patients feel at ease, supported, and empowered.

• Active listening

Nurses must do more than simply listen when conducting a health history assessment—they must actively listen. Active listening involves fully comprehending what a patient is communicating through both verbal and nonverbal cues (such as body language), as well as the patient’s emotional state. Complete concentration is essential during a nursing assessment. Listen carefully, using verbal and nonverbal prompts to encourage the patient to expand on his or her symptoms and the circumstances surrounding them.

• Adaptive questioning

Also referred to as guided questioning, adaptive questioning helps you encourage a patient to fully communicate without interrupting the flow of his or her narrative. Start with general questions, making them more specific as you move through the interview. Health assessments in nursing require questioning that elicits a graded response versus a yes or no reply. A series of questions, asked one at a time, often helps patients open up, as does offering multiple choices for answers. Request additional information when necessary by asking the patient to clarify their statements. Repeating the patient’s statements (a technique called echoing) is also helpful, as is using verbal and nonverbal continuers, such as nodding your head or saying things like “go on.”

• Nonverbal communication

Nursing assessments also require that you be in tune with a patient’s nonverbal communication, such as posture, eye contact, facial expression, and the like. Reading and understanding these nonverbal cues help nurses understand patients more fully, and using nonverbal communication of their own—such as mirroring a patient’s position or using therapeutic physical contact (placing a hand on the patient’s arm, for example)—can further augment the health history assessment. 

• Empathy, validation, and reassurance

Empathy is key in nursing health assessments, as it demonstrates that you understand and care about what a patient is experiencing and helps establish a trusting nurse–patient relationship. Empathic responses during a health history assessment interview can be both verbal (“I understand”) and nonverbal (such as offering a tissue if the patient is crying). Beyond being empathic, be sure to validate patients’ feelings to help reassure them that their emotions are natural and reasonable and their problems are understood and will be fully addressed. 

• Partnering and summarization

Another essential element of a nursing health assessment is expressing to the patient that you are committed to forging a continuing partnership dedicated to his or her wellness. Even if you’re still a student in a nursing program—such as a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) or RN program—this support can make a tremendous difference in a patient’s life. As you conduct your interview, summarizing what the patient has said is also helpful, as it demonstrates that you’ve been listening and can fill in holes in the patient’s story.

• Transitions and empowerment

Health problems can elicit feelings of anxiety in patients. One way to put their fears at ease is to use transitions during their health history assessment to let them know what they should expect next, such as a change in subject matter or a physical examination. Patients also feel vulnerable when they’re experiencing health problems, making it essential to empower them with the idea that their participation in the process and working closely with their medical team can make a positive difference in their outcomes. 

Ready to empower yourself with an online nursing degree program designed for busy professionals? Walden University’s Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)-accredited online RN to BSN program offers a flexible way to complete your degree.

Discover how Walden’s RN to BSN online program is helping more RNs conveniently earn their BSN degree online.

The baccalaureate degree program in nursing (BSN), master’s degree program in nursing (MSN), post-graduate APRN certificate program, and Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program at Walden University are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (www.ccneaccreditation.org).

Walden University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission, www.hlcommission.org.