Who performs initial and periodic complete physical assessments?

• A. RN
• B. LPN
• C. UAP
• D. Physician

Answer: (A)

A registered nurse performs initial and periodic complete physical assessments. RNs are trained and licensed to conduct a thorough head-to-toe examination on admission and at regular intervals to monitor status, identify changes, and guide care plans. This assessment integrates physical, mental, emotional, social, and functional data and serves as the basis for nursing diagnoses and interventions. While licensed practical nurses can participate in ongoing monitoring and may handle portions of the assessment under supervision, they typically do not perform the initial comprehensive assessment independently in many settings. Unlicensed assistive personnel provide basic data collection and daily living support but do not perform nursing assessments. Physicians focus on diagnosing medical conditions and planning treatment, whereas the nursing assessment of health status falls within the RN scope of practice.