Advanced Pathophysiology NURS 6512 Week 9 Assignment
Here are the exact assignment instructions for Week 9 of NURS 6512: Advanced Health Assessment and Diagnostic Reasoning at Walden University.
Note: NURS 6512 is Advanced Health Assessment and Diagnostic Reasoning (not Advanced Pathophysiology, which is NURS 6501). Week 9 focuses on Assessment of Cognition and the Neurologic System.
Week 9 Assignment: Case Study Assignment – Assessing Neurological Symptoms (Episodic/Focused SOAP Note)
Official Walden Instructions (standard wording used across recent terms):
Assignment: Assessing Neurological Symptoms
Imagine not being able to form new memories. This is the reality patients with anterograde amnesia face. In order to adequately assess the neurologic system, nurses must be aware of a patient’s history, potential abnormal findings, and what physical exams and diagnostic tests should be conducted to determine the causes and severity of abnormalities.
In this Assignment, you will consider case studies that describe abnormal findings in patients seen in a clinical setting. You will also examine what history should be collected from the patients, what physical exams and diagnostic tests should be conducted, and formulate a differential diagnosis with several possible conditions.
To Prepare
Review the Learning Resources for this module on assessment of the neurologic system and cognition.
By Day 1 of Week 9, your Instructor will have assigned you one of the following specific case studies for this Assignment (check the Announcements section or assignment area for your specific case).
Common Assigned Case Studies (your instructor assigns one; typical examples):
Case Study 1: A 20-year-old male complains of experiencing intermittent headaches.
Case Study 2: A 70-year-old female with progressive forgetfulness over the past year.
Case Study 3: A patient with dizziness, numbness/tingling, or other neurological symptoms (e.g., seizures, weakness, or altered mental status).
The Assignment (Episodic/Focused SOAP Note)
Develop an episodic/focused SOAP note about the patient in the assigned case study. Your SOAP note should address the following:
Subjective: Document the chief complaint, history of present illness (HPI), past medical history, medications, allergies, social history, family history, and review of systems (ROS) relevant to the neurologic complaint. Include additional information you would need to collect.
Objective: Document the physical examination findings, focusing on a detailed neurologic assessment (mental status, cranial nerves, motor/sensory function, reflexes, coordination, gait, etc.). Use appropriate terminology.
Assessment: Provide a differential diagnosis (at least 3–5 possible conditions) and identify the most likely diagnosis with supporting rationale.
Plan: Include any recommended diagnostic tests/labs (if applicable), pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic treatments, patient education, health promotion, follow-up, and referrals as appropriate.
By Day 7 of Week 9
Submit your Case Study Assignment (the completed episodic/focused SOAP note).
Reminder: The College of Nursing requires that all papers submitted include a title page, introduction, summary, and references. The Assignment must follow APA format (7th edition). Use scholarly writing and a minimum of 3–5 current scholarly references (including peer-reviewed articles from the Walden Library).
Submission and Grading
Due by Day 7 of Week 9 (11:59 p.m. MT).
Points: 100.
Refer to the Week 9 Assignment Rubric in your classroom for detailed grading criteria (emphasis on thorough history and neurologic exam, quality and prioritization of differential diagnosis with rationale, evidence-based plan, scholarly support, and APA/scholarly writing).
Additional Week 9 Activities
Shadow Health / Digital Clinical Experience (DCE):
Neurological Concept Lab or Practice Neurological Examination (recommended).
Comprehensive Assessment (Tina Jones) – This is often the major DCE activity around Weeks 9–11. You must complete a head-to-toe comprehensive physical exam on Tina Jones and achieve a required Lab Pass score (typically ≥80%). Documentation is usually submitted as a comprehensive SOAP note. This is a high-stakes, pass/fail component for many students.
Required readings and media cover neurologic assessment techniques (mental status exam, cranial nerve testing, motor/sensory/reflex evaluation, coordination/gait), common conditions (headaches, dementia, stroke, seizures, neuropathy), cognition screening (e.g., MMSE, MoCA), and red flags.
Tips for Success (Based on Rubric):
Use precise neurologic terminology (e.g., oriented x3, cranial nerves II–XII intact, 5/5 strength, 2+ reflexes, negative Babinski, etc.).
For headaches or cognitive changes, include OLDCARTS for symptoms and screen for red flags (e.g., sudden onset, worst headache of life, focal deficits).
Build a logical differential diagnosis with clear rationale (e.g., migraine vs. tension headache vs. cluster vs. secondary causes like tumor or meningitis).
Plan should include appropriate diagnostics (e.g., CT/MRI, labs, referral to neurology) and patient education.
These instructions reflect the standard NURS 6512 Week 9 assignment structure used across recent terms. Slight variations in the exact case study assigned, integration with i-Human vs. Shadow Health, or additional requirements (e.g., video demonstration of neuro exam in some sections) can occur depending on your instructor or term.
Always verify the exact instructions, your assigned case study, due dates, Shadow Health/i-Human requirements, and full rubric in your specific course classroom (Canvas) under Week 9 → Assignments and Announcements on Day 1.
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