History taking for advanced clinical practitioners: what should you ask?

Good history taking is a vital part of patient assessment in advanced practice, requiring a systematic and patient-centred approach. This article explains how.

Abstract

Good history taking is a vital component of patient assessment and high-quality care. This second article in our assessment and interpretation series for advanced nurse or midwife practitioners shows how a systematic approach to taking a history, combined with asking patients about their ideas, concerns and expectations, gives a thorough understanding of patients’ complaints and priorities.

Citation: Butler S (2023) History taking for advanced clinical practitioners: what should you ask? Nursing Times [online]; 120: 3.

Author: Sarah Butler is lecturer, University of Hull.