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- Title
Using a structured clinical assessment to identify the cause of chest pain.
- Authors
Stephens, George
- Abstract
Chest pain is a common reason for patient presentation to emergency departments and visits to primary care settings. While most causes of chest pain are not life-threatening, a small proportion require urgent intervention, particularly cardiac conditions such as acute coronary syndrome. Therefore, it is essential for healthcare practitioners, including nurses, to identify the cause of chest pain in a safe, timely and effective manner. This article outlines the main causes of chest pain and describes the aspects of chest pain assessment, including patient history-taking, physical examination and clinical investigations. Assessing chest pain requires healthcare practitioners to have knowledge of its causes and pathophysiology, the use of structured assessment tools and the latest evidence-based guidelines.
- Subjects
CHEST pain diagnosis; ANGINA pectoris; ANXIETY; CHEST pain; CLINICAL competence; AORTIC dissection; IRON deficiency anemia; MEDICAL needs assessment; MEDICAL history taking; MEDICAL personnel; NEURALGIA; NURSES; NURSING; NURSING assessment; PERICARDITIS; PHYSICAL diagnosis; PROFESSIONS; OCCUPATIONAL roles; PAIN measurement; ACUTE coronary syndrome
- Publication
Nursing Standard, 2019, Vol 34, Issue 4, p59
- ISSN
0029-6570
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.7748/ns.2019.e11384