Learn how to confidently perform a physical exam and prepare for the Next Generation NCLEX® Examination (NGN)! Health Assessment for Nursing Practice, Eighth Edition, focuses on what you need to know, providing easy-to-understand guidelines and timesaving learning tools that demonstrate how to perform an effective physical examination. This completely updated text has everything you need to succeed on the NGN, confidently conduct and document an accurate assessment, and prepare for clinical practice. UPDATED! Content reflects the latest research and thinking in health assessment in nursing practice Health assessment case studies on the Evolve companion website help you prepare for the Next Generation NCLEX® Exam Straightforward, easy-to-understand, need-to-know coverage gives you the knowledge and confidence to perform an effective health assessment and physical examination Clear differentiation between basic skills and advanced skills helps you discern need-to-know skills from skills that would be performed by an advanced practitioner or only in special circumstances Time-tested two-column format helps link assessment techniques with normal and abnormal findings Vivid full-color photos and illustrations visually demonstrate key assessment techniques to promote better understanding UNIQUE! Concept Overviews present core concepts in the context of health assessment, with discussions of pain, oxygenation, perfusion, tissue integrity, motion, sensory perception, nutrition, metabolism, and intracranial regulation UNIQUE! Clinical Judgment boxes explain the thought process of an experienced nurse making a clinical decision to give you an expert perspective on clinical judgment and the decision-making process in nursing practice UNIQUE! Situational Variations sections address special circumstances or needs for patients in wheelchairs or other limitations and exam variations Age-Related Variations sections address special considerations or needs for infants and children, adolescents, and older adults Summary of Findings sections demonstrate how to chart normal findings, including documentation in the Electronic Heath Record (EHR) Clinical Application and Clinical Judgment sections at the end of each chapter include review questions to help assess your understanding of need-to-know content, while case studies promote the development of clinical reasoning skills in the context of health assessment and physical examination UNIQUE! Adapting Health Assessment to the Hospitalized Patient chapter explains special techniques for performing a head-to-toe assessment of a patient in a hospital setting Ethnic, Cultural, and Spiritual Variations boxes help you anticipate the unique needs of a multicultural patient population Health Assessment Across the Life Span unit contains four separate chapters that cover all lifespan content, including older adults, pregnant patients, and infants, children, and adolescents Synthesis and Application of Health Assessment unit details how to conduct, document, and adapt the head-to-toe examination Updated throughout to reflect the latest research and thinking in health assessment in nursing practice NGN Health Assessment Questions added to each chapter