2.9 Review of Body Systems

A body system review asks focused questions related to overall health status and body systems such as cardiac, respiratory, neurological, gastrointestinal, urinary, and musculoskeletal systems. See “Chapter Resources A” for a sample health history form that contains brief questions according to body systems. Nurses often incorporate review of system questions into the physical examination of each system. For example, while listening to bowel sounds in the abdomen, a nurse often inquires about the patient’s bowel pattern. Additional focused assessment questions related to each body system are found in each assessment chapter of this book.