Page 25 - Community pharmcy practice E-book 2025

31/10/2025, 23:40 Community Pharmacy Practice - Course Materials

COMMUNITY PHARMACY PRACTICE

PATIENT ASSESSMENT & INFORMATION GATHERING

STEP 1: INFORMATION GATHERING

1. information about the symptoms that prompted the patient to seek assistance and
2. information about the patient's background characteristics

Step 2: Assessment and Triage

1. to assist with differentiation among conditions with similar symptoms and
2. to determine the goals of selftreatment.

Things to look at?

Skin colour: signs of jaundice or changes in skin coloration.
Coloration of the sclera (may reveal jaundice).
Marks on the skin: e.g. a change in a mole, a rodent ulcer or spider naevi
Breathing: is the patient short of breath or having trouble completing a sentence

Digital clubbing: the fingers take on a 'drum- stick' appearance and this can indicate chronic pulmonary, cardiac or
liver diseases.

Does the patient appear to have a fever?
Does the patient appear anxious? Signs of anxiety might indicate how serious the patient feels
that the problem is or reveal a hidden concern.

EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND OR MEDICAL
KNOWLEDGE OF THE PERSON

22