Another way to put the patient at ease during moments like this is for the nurse to be absolutely certain that she is not showing any signs of being judgmental. If this happens, it could throw the patient off guard and create an uncomfortable situation where the patient no longer feels comfortable being honest with the nurse. Once this happens, the nurse will have an inaccurate patient history and the patient runs the risk of not being treated properly for the underlying symptoms. In order for the history to be as accurate as possible, the nurse should ask questions regarding several issues that may affect the patient's health. The patient's past medical history is vitally important to the process because it can serve as a guide to what has worked in the past and what treatments are ineffective. The patient's mental health is also important. This will give the nurse any indications if the patient is not mentally stable. The state of mental health of the patient is important since it is now a known fact that a positive mental outlook does play a role in medical recovery (45).

The nurse should always ask the person about any medication he is taking. This includes prescription medication as well as over the counter. This is important in order to prevent any type of drug interactions. The patient's family history as well as social history is also important. The family history is important because many illnesses and diseases are genetic and passed down from generation to generation. The nurse needs...

The patient's social history is important because the nurse needs to know if the patient is capable of performing normal daily functions in the home without any assistance. The nurse also needs to know (in some cases) whether or not the patient has an active social live. Active social lives should never include excessive alcohol consumption as this could cause other serious medical problems for the patient (46).
We have seen that taking a patient's history is more than just asking a series of questions and writing down the answers. The patient must always be put at ease and not made to feel they he is being judged. There is a process to taking a patient's history that should always be followed. By following this process, the nurse will not only learn what is actually ailing the patient, but she will also find out about such things as the patient's mental state, his family history, his social life and other components which help to make up the patient's complete history. By sticking to the process and not straying, the nurse is making her job easier and she is also ensuring that the patient receives the best possible medical care that can be given. A cooperative patient makes for a smooth process of taking the history and it is up to the nurse to do everything possible to make sure the process works so that the outcome will be a win-win situation for all parties involved.

Bibliography

Lloyd, H. And Craig, S. (2007). A guide to taking a patient's history.…