Gathering Data and Interview

Information in the client database is obtained primarily from the client (who is the most important or primary source) and then from family members/significant others (secondary sources), as appropriate, through conversation and by observation during a structured interview. Clearly, the interview involves more than simply exchanging and processing data. Nonverbal communication is as important as the client’s choice of words in providing the data. The ability to collect data that are meaningful to the client’s health concerns depends heavily on the nurse’s knowledge base; on the choice and sequence of questions; and on the ability to give meaning to the client’s
responses, integrate the data gathered, and prioritize the resulting information. Insight into the nature and behavior of the client is essential as well.

The nurse’s initial responsibility is to observe, collect, and record data without drawing conclusions or making judgments or assumptions. Self-awareness is a crucial factor in the interaction, because perceptions, judgments, and assumptions can easily color the assessment findings unless they are recognized.

The quality of a history improves with experience with the interviewing process. Tips for obtaining a meaningful history include the following:

• Be a good listener.
• Listen carefully and attentively for whole thoughts and ideas, not merely isolated facts.
• Use skills of active listening, silence, and acceptance to provide ample time for the person to respond. Be as objective as possible.
• Identify only the client’s or significant others’ contributions to the history.

The interview question is the major tool used to acquire information. How the question is phrased is a skill that is important in obtaining the desired results and in getting the information necessary to make accurate nursing diagnoses. Note: Some questioning strategies to avoid include closed-ended and leading questions, probing, and agreeing or disagreeing that implies the client is “right” or “wrong.” It is important to remember, too, that the client has the right to refuse to answer any question, no matter how reasonably phrased.

Nine effective data-collection questioning techniques include the following:
1. Open-ended questions allow clients maximum freedom to respond in their own way, impose no limitations on how the question may be answered, and can produce considerable information.
2. Hypothetical questions pose a situation and ask the client how it might be handled.
3. Reflecting or “mirroring” responses is a useful technique in getting at underlying meanings that might not be verbalized clearly.
4. Focusing consists of eye contact (within cultural limits), body posture, and verbal responses.
5. Giving broad openings encourages the client to take the initiative in what is to be discussed.
6. Offering general leads encourages the client to continue.
7. Exploring pursues a topic in more depth.
8. Verbalizing the implied gives voice to what has been suggested.
9. Encouraging evaluation helps clients to consider the quality of their own experiences.

The client’s medical diagnosis can provide a starting point for gathering data. Knowledge of the anatomy and physiology of the specific disease process and severity of the condition also helps in choosing and prioritizing precise portions of the assessment. For example, when examining a client with severe chest pain, it may be wise to evaluate the pain and the cardiovascular system in a focused assessment before addressing other areas, possibly at a later time. Likewise, the duration and length of any assessment depend on circumstances such as the client’s condition and the situation’s urgency.

The data collected about the client or significant others contain a vast amount of information, some of which may be repetitious. However, some of it will be valuable for eliciting information that was not recalled or volunteered previously. Enough material needs to be noted in the history so that a complete picture is presented, and yet not so much that the information will not be read or used.