Peer Response
Instructions:
Please respond to at least 2 of your peer’s posts. To ensure that your responses are substantive, use at least two of these prompts:
- Do you agree with your peers’ assessment?
- Take an opposing view to a peer and present a logical argument supporting an alternate opinion.
- Share your thoughts on how you support their opinion and explain why.
- Present new references that support your opinions.
Responses need to address all components of the question, demonstrate critical thinking and analysis, and include peer-reviewed journal evidence to support the student’s position.
Please be sure to validate your opinions and ideas with in-text citations and corresponding references in APA format.
Reply from Melisa Tennies
In a comprehensive health assessment, clinicians identify various risks, strengths, and needs through the health history, physical examination, and preventive services.
Hypertension Screening
Blood pressure assessment during a wellness visit may identify an elevated reading (≥130/80 mmHg). It is a risk factor because untreated hypertension increases the risk of stroke, heart attack, and chronic kidney disease (Whelton et al., 2018). Identifying this risk is crucial to initiating interventions such as lifestyle counseling and blood pressure management to prevent complications. Screening can be completed in a comprehensive health assessment, as well as through general health screenings and health fairs.
Regular Physical Activity
History taking may reveal that a patient engages in at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week, which is a strength. Regular physical activity is associated with reduced risk of obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and depression. Exercise also improves overall quality of life (Piercy et al., 2018). Identifying this strength provides an opportunity for the provider to reinforce the positive behavior and encourage its maintenance.
Preventive Screening and Vaccines
A patient who did not have a colonoscopy at age 50 or is not up to date on recommended vaccines (e.g., influenza, shingles) needs preventive services. Identifying this need helps ensure timely interventions that can prevent morbidity and mortality (U.S. Preventive Services Task Force [USPSTF], 2021).
In conclusion, a comprehensive health assessment enables providers to identify various risks (e.g., hypertension), strengths (e.g., exercise), and needs (e.g., preventive screenings) to guide care and promote wellness.
References
Piercy, K. L., Troiano, R. P., Ballard, R. M., Carlson, S. A., Fulton, J. E., Galuska, D. A., George, S. M., & Olson, R. D. (2018). The physical activity guidelines for Americans. JAMA , 320 (19), 2020–2028. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2018.14854
U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. (2021). USPSTF A and B recommendations. https://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/uspstf/recommendation-topics/uspstf-a-and-b-recommendations
Whelton, P. K., Carey, R. M., Aronow, W. S., Casey, D. E., Collins, K. J., Dennison Himmelfarb, C., DePalma, S. M., Gidding, S., Jamerson, K. A., Jones, D. W., MacLaughlin, E. J., Muntner, P., Ovbiagele, B., Smith, S. C., Spencer, C. C., Stafford, R. S., Taler, S. J., Thomas, R. J., … Wright, J. T. (2018). 2017 ACC/AHA/AAPA/ABC/ACPM/AGS/APhA/ASH/ASPC/NMA/PCNA guideline for the prevention, detection, evaluation, and management of high blood pressure in adults. Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 71 (19), e127–e248. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacc.2017.11.006
Reply from Emily Byrd
How can we identify health risks, strengths, and needs in our comprehensive health assessment?
Example 1: Medical History Review
The medical history review includes family history, lifestyle factors, previous health history, and current symptoms and conditions. It is critical to inquire about conditions such as cancer or heart disease that run in the family, this may indicate a genetic predisposition to certain risks (FastStats – Diseases and Conditions, 2020). Ask the patient about diet, exercise, smoking, alcohol use, or illicit drug use as these directly influence a person's health. By accessing past medical records, this provides information on existing conditions and patterns of patient care. Health assessments can be used to identify what’s happening in the body at this current moment in time and allows us the tools needed to provide perspective on what could happen in the future based on lifestyle choices, the patient’s family history, current medications, allergies, and other risk factors (How to Perform a Health Assessment in Nursing, 2025). A proper assessment is a full head to toe assessment, including vital signs.
Example 2: Social Assessment
As health care providers, it is important to evaluate the patient's support system and family structure. We should also respectfully assess household and environmental risk factors, including issues such as abuse, homelessness or unemployment that may impact a person's health. We should also determine the patient's willingness to change lifestyle modifications if needed and understand their receptiveness to interventions we may recommend to improve their health. By understanding the patient's unique psychological, social, and spiritual needs, as providers we are able to provide appropriate care (Toney-Butler & Unison-Pace, 2023).
References:
How to Perform a Health Assessment in Nursing. (2025, May 5). Holy Family University. https://onlinenursing.holyfamily.edu/blog/how-perform-health-assessment-nursingLinks to an external site.
FastStats – Diseases and Conditions. (2020). https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/diseases-and-conditions.htmLinks to an external site.
Toney-Butler, T., & Unison-Pace, W. (2023). Nursing Admission Assessment and Examination. National Library of Medicine; StatPearls Publishing. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK493211/
