The effectiveness of an education program to teach Australian nurses comprehensive physical assessment skills.

This study investigates the effectiveness of an educational program to teach 22 registered nurses comprehensive physical assessment skills. Administration of questionnaires and tests provided measures of the nurses: a) use of physical assessment skills; b) knowledge of physical assessment; c) changes in nursing practice since learning the skills; d) barriers to the use of these learned skills. The major post program findings regarding increases in the nurses' knowledge and use of physical assessment skills, positive changes in their nursing practice and lack of barriers to their use of these skills indicates that the participants did benefit from this educational experience.