How to take a comprehensive patient history.

Rationale and key points: A significant proportion of diagnoses are made based on history taking, often alongside physical assessments and laboratory investigations. Taking a thorough patient history is fundamental for the accurate diagnosis and effective management of health conditions. This article outlines a step-by-step process for taking a comprehensive patient history and discusses the evidence for this procedure. • History taking is a structured but flexible process of gathering relevant information from patients to inform diagnosis and treatment. • Important communication skills for nurses when history taking include active listening, empathetic communication and cultural sensitivity. • By actively engaging the patient in a conversation about their health issues, the nurse facilitates their participation and autonomy. REFLECTIVE ACTIVITY: 'How to' articles can help to update your practice and ensure it remains evidence based. Apply this article to your practice. Reflect on and write a short account of: • How this article might improve your practice when taking a patient history. • How you could use this information to educate nursing students or colleagues on taking a patient history.