This assignment provides a scenario that the students will use as the foundation for the design of an experiential learning activity that will emphasize interprofessional communication, ethics, and civility in the clinical setting. Focusing on their future practice setting of either academic or professional development, the student is able to select the level of student […]

The pediatric nurse from the local tertiary center has called the health department to report a child hospitalized with a diagnosis of plumbism. The public health nurse is familiar with this family as she provides case management for this woman during her pregnancy. There are two other children under the age of 5 in the […]

Ethical Concerns   As an advanced practice nurse, you will run into situations where a patient’s wishes about his or her health conflict with evidence, your own experience, or a family’s wishes. This may create an ethical dilemma. What do you do when these situations occur?   In this Lab Assignment, you will explore evidence-based […]

Assessing the Genitalia and Rectum Patients are frequently uncomfortable discussing with healthcare professional’s issues that involve the genitalia and rectum; however, gathering an adequate history and properly conducting a physical exam are vital. Examining case studies of genital and rectal abnormalities can help prepare advanced practice nurses to accurately assess patients with problems in these […]

Assessing Neurological Symptoms Imagine not being able to form new memories. This is the reality patients with anterograde amnesia face. Although this form of amnesia is rare, it can result from severe brain trauma. Anterograde amnesia demonstrates just how impactful brain disorders can be to a patient’s quality of living. Accurately assessing neurological symptoms is […]

Assessing the Abdomen A woman went to the emergency room for severe abdominal cramping. She was diagnosed with diverticulitis; however, as a precaution, the doctor ordered a CT scan. The CT scan revealed a growth on the pancreas, which turned out to be pancreatic cancer—the real cause of the cramping.   Because of a high […]

Assessing the Head, Eyes, Ears, Nose, and Throat   Photo Credit: Getty Images/Blend Images   Most ear, nose, and throat conditions that arise in non-critical care settings are minor in nature. However, subtle symptoms can sometimes escalate into life-threatening conditions that require prompt assessment and treatment.   Nurses conducting assessments of the ears, nose, and […]

Differential Diagnosis for Skin Conditions Properly identifying the cause and type of a patient’s skin condition involves a process of elimination known as differential diagnosis. Using this process, a health professional can take a given set of physical abnormalities, vital signs, health assessment findings, and patient descriptions of symptoms, and incrementally narrow them down until […]

Assessment Tools and Diagnostic Tests in Adults and Children When seeking to identify a patient’s health condition, advanced practice nurses can use a diverse selection of diagnostic tests and assessment tools; however, different factors affect the validity and reliability of the results produced by these tests or tools. Nurses must be aware of these factors […]

Assessing Musculoskeletal Pain The body is constantly sending signals about its health. One of the most easily recognized signals is pain. Musculoskeletal conditions comprise one of the leading causes of severe long-term pain in patients. The musculoskeletal system is an elaborate system of interconnected levers that provides the body with support and mobility. Because of […]