The purpose of the document is to discuss the activities involved when assessing a patient. Patient assessment can be viewed as the process of critically examining a patient. It involves collecting and analyzing data about a patient and the disease (Allan, 2012). The main reason is to express a judgment on the disease from which one suffers. This judgment will ensure appropriate treatment and diagnosis. Typically, gathering information from the patient is the role of nurses while making judgments and prescriptions is the role of the doctor (Jacques, 1988). In any case, all professionals are required to know how to evaluate a patient. Traditionally the nurse's role in assessing a patient is to record observations made but not to interpret them. The primary observation includes pulse, temperature, respiratory rate, blood pressure, and level of consciousness (Alice, 1985). The nurse's ability to accurately record such observations will determine the priority of patient care. Assessment based on prioritization is one of the key skills that newly qualified nurses may lack. Yes...