Hospice RN Comprehensive Assessment

Presented by Amy Rose and Clinical Procedure Manual Review Board

12-Month Subscription

Unlimited access to:

Thousands of CE Courses
Patient Education
Home Exercise Program
And more

Subscribe Now

First Chapter Free Buy Course

Video Runtime: 11 Minutes

The comprehensive assessment is an integral competency of home-based care delivery. In this training, we’ll review the equipment and procedures for administering the comprehensive assessment. This course includes
• Video demonstrations of procedures
• Downloadable procedure guide PDFs
• Tips and best practices for performing these procedures

This assessment is conducted at the start of care and at regular intervals throughout the care and allows the care team to have a baseline of a patient’s condition as the patient progresses through care. A comprehensive assessment can be completed by an RN or LPN/LVN but is most commonly completed by the RN. In this training, we’ll review the equipment and procedures for administering the comprehensive assessment. We will also review the completion of a mid-arm circumference measurement—a measurement of the mid upper arm to determine weight and muscle mass gain or loss for a patient who can no longer be weighed on a scale.

This course was reviewed by Amy Rose, RN, MSN, CHPN, and Jennifer Kennedy, EdD, MA, BSN, RN, CHC, to ensure the content meets current professional guidelines and best evidence-based practices.

Meet your instructors

Amy Rose

Amy Rose is a passionate end-of-life-care nurse, leader, and educator. Amy holds an applied nursing master’s degree in executive leadership and has dedicated the majority of her career to developing both people and processes in the post-acute care space. Amy has worked in clinically and technically complex roles ranging from…

Read full bio

Clinical Procedure Manual Review Board

The MedBridge Clinical Procedure Manual Review Board ensures the development and maintenance of up-to-date and evidence-based clinical procedures. The review board is composed of leading nurse experts in the field: Danielle Pierotti, RN, PhD, CENP, and Margherita Labson, RN, BSN, MSHSA. The review board is involved in…

Read full bio

Chapters & learning objectives

1. Introduction

This chapter includes an introduction to hospice RN comprehensive assessment, information on all of the equipment needed for this assessment, and recommended infection control policies.

2. Comprehensive Assessment: Overview

This chapter will discuss the administration and contents of the general assessment, including assessment of the patient’s vital signs and symptoms, body systems, daily activities, psychosocial and spiritual status, and advance directives, as well as a medication reconciliation.

3. Procedure: Mid-arm Circumference

This chapter will provide a step-by-step procedure guide and video demonstration of taking a mid-arm circumference.

4. Tips, Precautions, and Care Considerations

This chapter provides tips and considerations for performing these skills for hospice care.

5. Documentation Guidelines

This chapter provides recommendations on what to note when documenting for patients receiving an RN hospice comprehensive assessment.

6. Patient Education

This chapter provides information on what education patients need to support self-management of their care.

7. Conclusion

This chapter includes learning assessment questions to assess the learner’s knowledge of skills covered in this course. A bibliography of referenced material is also included.