Cardiovascular assessment for home healthcare nurses. Part 1: Initial cardiovascular assessment.

A description of the technique for standard cardiovascular assessment as it applies to patients in the home care setting is provided in this two-part article. The first, Initial Cardiovascular Assessment, covers basic physical assessment of the cardiovascular patient. The second article, Assessing Blood Pressure and Cardiac Function, which will appear in the August, 1998 issue, provides information that home care nurses can use to develop a thorough method of blood pressure, heart, and breath sound assessment.