Gordon was on to the idea that individuals are a shaped by their environment, including culture, genetics, etc. In order to make an in depth assessment, we need to be able to evaluate all of these areas. Have you ever been in a situation where a patient did not receive the care they should have because of an inaccurate or partial assessment? 

Health assessment is a key element in nursing process (1, 2). These skills play a decisive role in assessing and determining the patients' health problems and caring needs and consequently have a crucial role in designing nursing care plans and determining the nursing interventions. Also, an accurate written record detailing all aspects of patient monitoring is important, not only because it forms an integral part of the of the provision of care or nursing management of the patient, but because it also contributes to the circulation of information amongst the different teams involved in the patient's treatment or care.

The initial nursing assessment, the first step in the five steps of the nursing process, involves the systematic and continuous collection of data; sorting, analyzing, and organizing that data; and the documentation and communication of the data collected. Critical thinking skills applied during the nursing process provide a decision-making framework to develop and guide a plan of care for the patient incorporating evidence-based practice concepts. This concept of precision education to tailor care based on an individual's unique cultural, spiritual, and physical needs, rather than a trial by error, one size fits all approach results in a more favorable outcome.

The nursing assessment includes gathering information concerning the patient's individual physiological, psychological, sociological, and spiritual needs. It is the first step in the successful evaluation of a patient. Subjective and objective data collection are an integral part of this process. Part of the assessment includes data collection by obtaining vital signs such as temperature, respiratory rate, heart rate, blood pressure, and pain level using an age or condition appropriate pain scale. The assessment identifies current and future care needs of the patient by allowing the formation of a nursing diagnosis. The nurse recognizes normal and abnormal patient physiology and helps prioritize interventions and care.