Which of the following statements regarding the patient assessment process is correct?

A) The assessment process must be organized and systematic, yet flexible enough to allow you to maximize the amount of information you can gather.
B) It is critical that you think of patient assessment as a static sequence of events that are carried out on every patient that you encounter.
C) Expanding your questioning of a patient in order to elicit more information often confuses the patient and should be avoided if possible.
D) As the patient interview unfolds, you must remain focused on the patient's chief complaint, as it is likely his or her most serious problem.

Answer: A) The assessment process must be organized and systematic, yet flexible enough to allow you to maximize the amount of information you can gather.