The nurse is conducting a physical examination of a child following a comprehensive health history. What should be the focus of the physical examination?

A. The child: The primary focus of the physical examination is the child’s current health status, including assessment of all body systems. The examination aims to identify any deviations from normal growth, development, or function, and to correlate findings with the history provided. B. The parents: While parents provide essential information regarding the child’s health, behaviors, and history, they are not the focus of the physical examination. Their role is to assist with history-taking and contextual information. C. Chief complaint: The chief complaint guides the assessment and helps prioritize certain systems, but a comprehensive physical examination should extend beyond the presenting problem to evaluate overall health and detect any additional issues. D. Developmental age: Assessing developmental age is part of the examination to compare expected growth and milestones with chronological age, but it is one component rather than the central focus, which remains the child’s overall physical condition.