Baccalaureate nurse graduates' perception of barriers to the use of physical assessment skills in the clinical setting.

This study examined the perceived barriers to the use of physical assessment skills (PAS) in the clinical setting by 148 baccalaureate-prepared nurses who graduated between 1982 and 1988. Data were collected by means of self-administered, mailed questionnaires, and a 42-item PAS tool, using a five-point scale. Graduates were asked to identify specific barriers to not using, or seldom using, PAS. Of the 42 PAS, 10 were used most frequently, and 12 were "never" or "seldom" used in the clinical setting. Numerous barriers were listed: performance by physician ranked first; inappropriate to clinical setting ranked second.