Functions of the Head
- Supports the face
- Provides communication network
- Protects the skull
- Monitors the five senses
- Facilitates signal processing and interpretation
- Manages the five sense organs
Abnormalities of the head
- Brain tumor
- Neural pathway disorder
Symptoms of brain tumor
- Headache
- Memory loss
- Speech defection
- Visual failure
- Personality changes
Nursing interventions for brain tumor
- Evaluate the patient’s body changes
- Observe the patient’s communication pattern and social interaction (Ignatavicius & Workman, 2014)
Patient education
- Patient must understand the predisposing factors of brain tumor.
- Diet sequence must be administered.
Symptoms of neural pathway disorder
- Seizures
- Muscle weakness
- Pain
- Paralysis
- Poor cognitive ability
- Numbness
Nursing interventions for neural pathway disorder
- Conduct a physical assessment for patient’s response to touch.
- Determine the progress of the disorder and administer medications.
Patient education for neural pathway disorder
- Explain the reasons for numbness
- Describe the benefits of daily exercise
Functions of eye
- Signal processing
- Processing time
- Sensitivity
- Adaptation
- Sight
- Accommodation
- Focusing
- Measurement
- Determination of health status
- Crying
Abnormalities of the eye
- Sensory defects
- Cataract
- Glaucoma
Symptoms of sensory defects
- Uncoordinated movements
- Clumsy
- Fear
Nursing interventions for sensory defects
- Patient education for the prevention of sensory defects
- Provide support and encouragement to aid patient recovery
Symptoms of cataract
- Impaired vision
- Fading of colors
- Glaring lights
- Halo conditions
- Frequent lens prescription
Nursing interventions for cataract
- Conduct eye test
- Provide dilating medications
Symptoms of glaucoma
- Sudden impaired vision
- Head pain
- Eye pain
- Vomiting
Nursing interventions for glaucoma
- Monitor patient recovery
- Administer pain relief medications
Functions of the face
- Supports verbal communication
- Enables expression (anger, joy, smile)
- Enables human identity
- Biological perspective
- Enables recognition
Functions of the ear
- Hearing
- Facial balance
- Waste discharge channel
Functions of the mouth
- Eating
- Breathing
- Chewing
- Sucking
- Drinking
- Griping
- Sound processing
- Waste channel
Functions of the nose
- Breathing
- Feeding
- Waste discharge channel
- Smelling
- Temperature regulator
- Humidifier
- Filter
Abnormalities of the nose
- Nasal tumor
- Respiratory disorder
Symptoms of nasal tumor
- Mucus secretion
- Nose bleeding
- Mucus drain
- Nasal congestion
- Palate growth
Nursing interventions for nasal tumor
- Conduct physical test to determine the progress of the abnormality.
- Prepare patient for chemotherapy, surgery, and palliative treatment.
Symptoms of respiratory disorder
- Breathing problems
- Rapid breathing
- Infections
- Inflammation
Nursing interventions for respiratory disease
- Provide ventilator
- Monitor patient breathing pattern (Lohr, 2004)
Patient education for the nose
- Do not inhale toxic gases
- Control smoking habits
Functions of the neck
- Supports the head
- Provide balance
- Facilitates body movement
- Facilitates blood movement
- Enables fluid and nutrient transportation
Abnormality of the neck
- Neck pain
Symptoms of neck pain
- Muscle weakness
- Breathing abnormality
- Numbness
Nursing interventions for neck pain
- Conduct pain management therapy
- Observe weight loss and administer radiation therapy
Patient education for neck pain
- Describe the recovery process for the patient
- Discuss the patient’s sleeping pattern
Functions of the throat
- Food passage
- Air and water channel
- Assist digestion
- Acts as linkage
Symptoms of throat cancer
- Weight loss
- Ear pain
- Sore throat
- Persistent cough
- Strain voice recognition
Nursing interventions for throat cancer
- Conduct a physical assessment on the patient
- Observe body weight for one week
- Prepare the patient for surgery
Patient education for throat cancer
- Discuss the procedures for surgery and recovery
- Discuss the patient’s eating habit after surgery.
Components that make up the system
- The human head consists of the face, nose, eye, mouth, and ear.
- The head accommodates the human brain.
- Communication is enabled by the human brain. As a result, the head facilitates the functions of the face, nose, mouth and ears.
- Each component of the head relay signal messages to the brain.
- The brain interprets each message signal from the face, nose, eyes, moth and ear.
- The sense organ determines the message format. However, the brain receives, evaluates, interprets, and relays messages in accordance with its functionality.
- The human neck connects the head to the body.
- The point of connection is controlled by nerve endings that facilities movement, communication, signal transfer, and fluid transportation (West et al., 2002).
- Fluid transportation to various parts of the human enables stability.
Patient education for the system (head and neck)
- Patients must exercise regularly to keep fit
- Eat a well-balanced diet
- Maintain body hygiene
- Consume plenty water
- Eliminate stress
Signs and symptoms that demonstrates a healthy system
- Wellness of the mind and body
- Normal body temperature
- Normal function of the five sense organs
- Normal blood pressure
- Normal metabolism rate
Physical assessment of the body system
- The physical assessment of the body system includes baseline measurement, medication therapy, health status, and comfort status (Bastian, 2000).
- The apparatus required for the assessment include the stethoscope, flashlight, clinical thermometer, and sphygmomanometer.
- The stages include general appearance, integumentary assessment, cardiovascular assessment, and respiratory assessment,
- The nurse will conduct physical assessment on patient’s appearance and behavior (Jarvis, 2011).
- Neurological assessment will evaluate the patient’s level of consciousness, verbal response, motor response, and pupil reactions (West et al., 2002).
- Integumentary assessment includes skin inspection, nail inspection, mucous membrane hygiene, teeth and gum inspection.
- Cardiovascular assessment includes heart sounds and the peripheral vascular system.
- The thorax and lungs inspection will form the respiratory assessment.
Documentation of the completed physical assessment will be displayed in a medical format
Date: Client vigilant and oriented x 5, eyes PERRLA, I&0 800 ml in 5h. BP 120/75 R 18; P 75 patient voice is clear, complete bowel sequence, active quadrants. Perfect abdominal assessment, redness not present, intact staple, recommends relief medication for pain. Pain level 2 at 2245, Dara, James, LPN.
Evidence based practice articles
Lohr, K. (2004). Rating the strength of scientific evidence: Relevance for quality improvement programs. International Journal for Quality in Health Care, 16(1), 9-18.
West, S., King, V., Carey, T., Lohr, K., McKoy, N., Sutton, S. & Lux, L. (2002). Systems to rate the strength of scientific evidence. Web.