BUILDING A HEALTH HISTORY: COMMUNICATING EFFECTIVELY TO GATHER APPROPRIATE HEALTH-RELATED INFORMATION
BUILDING A HEALTH HISTORY: COMMUNICATING EFFECTIVELY TO GATHER APPROPRIATE HEALTH-RELATED INFORMATION
Effective communication is vital to constructing an accurate and detailed patient history. A patient’s health or illness is influenced by many factors, including age, gender, ethnicity, and environmental setting.
There may also be significant cultural factors. In May 2012, Alice Randall wrote an article for The New York Times on the cultural factors that encouraged Black women to maintain a weight above what is considered healthy. Randall explained from her observations and her personal experience, as a Black woman, that many African American communities and cultures consider women who are overweight to be more beautiful and desirable than women at a healthier weight. As she put it, “Many black women are fat because we want to be” (Randall, 2012).
Randall’s statements sparked a great deal of controversy and debate at the time; however, they emphasize an underlying reality in the healthcare field: Different populations, cultures, and groups have diverse beliefs and practices that impact their health. APRNs and other healthcare professionals should be aware of this reality and adapt their health assessment techniques and recommendations to accommodate diversity.
As an advanced practice nurse, you must build a patient health history that takes into account all of the factors that make a patient unique and tailor your communication techniques accordingly. Doing so will not only help you establish rapport with each patient, but it will also enable you to more effectively gather the information needed to assess a patient’s health risks.
For this first Assignment, you will take on the role of an APRN who is building a health history for a particular patient assigned by your Instructor. You will consider how social determinants of health and specific cultural considerations will influence your interview and communication techniques as you work in partnership with the patient to gather data for an accurate health history.
Note: You are expected to draw on the resources for both Week 1 and Week 2 when completing your Assignment.
Resources
Be sure to review the Learning Resources before completing this activity.
Click the weekly resource links to access the resources.
WEEK 1 WEEKLY RESOURCES
WEEK 2 WEEKLY RESOURCES
To prepare:
Reflect on your experience as an advanced practice nurse and on the information provided in the Week 1 Learning Resources on building a health history and the Week 2 Learning Resources on diversity issues in health assessments.
By Day 1 of this week, your Instructor will assign a case study for this Assignment. Note: Please see the Course Announcements section of the classroom for your Case Study Assignment.
Reflect on the specific socioeconomic, spiritual, lifestyle, and other cultural factors related to the health of your assigned patient.
Consider how you would build a health history for the patient. What questions would you ask? How might you target your questions based on the patient’s social determinants of health? How would you frame the questions to be sensitive to the patient’s background, lifestyle, and culture?
Identify any potential health-related risks, based on the patient’s age, gender, ethnicity, or environmental setting, which should be taken into consideration.
What risk assessment instruments would be appropriate to use with this patient?
What questions would you ask to assess the patient’s health risks?
Select one (1) risk assessment instrument discussed in the Learning Resources, or another tool with which you are familiar, related to your selected patient.
Develop five (5) targeted questions you would ask the patient to build their health history and to assess their health risks.
Think about the challenges associated with communicating with patients from a variety of specific populations. What communication techniques would be most appropriate to use with this patient? What strategies can you as an APRN employ to be sensitive to different cultural factors while gathering the pertinent information?
Assignment: Building a Health History With Cultural and Diversity Awareness
Include the following:
Explain the specific socioeconomic, spiritual, lifestyle, and other cultural factors associated with the patient you were assigned. Be specific.
Explain the issues that you would need to be sensitive to when interacting with the patient, and why.
Describe the communication techniques you would use with this patient. Include strategies to demonstrate sensitivity with this patient. Be specific and explain why you would use these techniques.
Summarize the health history interview you would conduct with this patient. Provide at least five (5) targeted questions you would ask the patient to build their health history and to assess their health risks. Explain your reasoning for each question and how you frame each for this specific patient.
Identify the risk assessment instrument you selected, and then justify why it would be applicable to your assigned patient. Be specific.
Include a reference list with a minimum of 3 scholarly articles.
By day 7 of Week 2
Submit your Assignment.
submission information
Before submitting your final assignment, you can check your draft for authenticity. To check your draft, access the Turnitin Drafts from the Start Here area.
To submit your completed assignment, save your Assignment as WK2Assgn1_LastName_FirstInitial
Then, click on Start Assignment near the top of the page.
Next, click on Upload File and select Submit Assignment for review.
Learning Resources
Required Readings
Ball, J. W., Dains, J. E., Flynn, J. A., Solomon, B. S., & Stewart, R. W. (2023). Seidel’s guide to physical examination: An interprofessional approach (10th ed.). Elsevier Mosby.
Chapter 1, “Cultural Competency”
This chapter highlights the importance of cultural awareness when conducting health assessments. The authors explore the impact of culture on health beliefs and practices.
Dains, J. E., Baumann, L. C., & Scheibel, P. (2019). Advanced health assessment and clinical diagnosis in primary care (6th ed.). Elsevier Mosby.
Credit Line: Advanced Health Assessment and Clinical Diagnosis in Primary Care, 6th edition by Dains, J. E., Baumann, L. C., & Scheibel, P. Copyright 2019 by Mosby. Reprinted by permission of Mosby via the Copyright Clearance Center.
Chapter 2, “Evidenced-Based Clinical Practice Guidelines Download Evidenced-Based Clinical Practice Guidelines”
i-Human Patients. (2023). i-Human Patients case player: Student manual Download i-Human Patients case player: Student manual. I-Human Patients by Kaplan.
Note: This link provides a PDF download for this manual.
Required Media
To access this resource, use the Access i-Human Patients link from the Start Here Module.
i-Human Patients. (2023). Case studies: Marvin Webster, Jr. [Video]. i-Human Patients by Kaplan.
Important Note: Once you have purchased your i-Human Patients access code from the bookstore, you should receive an email with your i-Human Patients login and password information. If you have not received this information, please contact the Course Instructor.
Required Weekly Skills Practice
Each week you will be assigned a list of skills you should be practicing for the final check off. Please complete the following for Week 2:
Identify the 7 headings utilized to obtain a complete subjective (history) data in a provider history. (Siedel, pg. 18)
Develop a sample script that you can use to gather history information from patients.
Review the sample documentation for the appropriate way to document a provider history.
Episodic/ Focused SOAP Note Exemplar (Word)Download Episodic/ Focused SOAP Note Exemplar (Word)
Episodic/ Focused SOAP Note Template (Word)Download Episodic/ Focused SOAP Note Template (Word)
Lecturio Resources – Optional
Supplemental Resource
Week 2 Announcement: Building a Culturally Sensitive Health History
Welcome to Week 2!
As advanced practice nurses, we understand that a health history is not simply data collection — it is a culturally informed, patient-centered conversation. This week, you will continue strengthening your ability to gather meaningful information while demonstrating cultural awareness, humility, and professionalism.
???? Week 2 Case Study Assignment
Building a Health History: Communicating Effectively to Gather Appropriate Health-Related Information
???? Patient Scenario
You have been assigned the case of S.J., a 28-year-old Lebanese Muslim female who is in her first year of graduate school and living in university housing. This is her first year in the United States. She is presenting to the university clinic for a routine physical exam.
???? Required Components
Cultural and Contextual Factors
Explain the specific socioeconomic, spiritual, lifestyle, immigration/acculturation, and other cultural factors that may influence this patient’s healthcare experience. Be specific and apply them directly to this scenario.
Cultural Sensitivity Considerations
Discuss issues you must be sensitive to when interacting with this patient and explain why they are important in providing safe, respectful, and patient-centered care.
Communication Strategies
Describe the communication techniques you would use to build rapport and demonstrate cultural humility. Explain why these strategies are appropriate for this patient.
Health History Interview Approach
Summarize how you would gather the patient’s health history. Include:
• At least five (5) targeted questions
• Your rationale for each question
• How you would phrase each question specifically for this patient
Risk Assessment Tool
Identify one appropriate risk assessment instrument applicable to this patient scenario and justify why it is suitable.
???? Due Date
Sunday (Day 7)
???? Scholarly Support
Minimum of 3 peer-reviewed scholarly references
• Sources must be 5 years old or newer
• Proper APA formatting required
???? Submission
Upload your completed assignment to the Week 2 Assignment area in Canvas.
???? Important Reminders
Be sure to review the Learning Resources under Week 2 before completing this activity.
???????? ACTION REQUIRED ????????
You MUST complete the Week 2 Learning Resources Attestation confirming that you have reviewed all required materials.
This is a required course component.
???? Important Update Regarding Supplemental Resource
Under Supplemental Resources, the link from the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Office of Minority Health titled A Physician’s Practical Guide to Culturally Competent Care is no longer directly accessible through the posted link.
???? Please search the full title in the Walden Library to access the resource.
I strongly encourage you to explore the Walden Library. It is a wonderful resource for locating peer-reviewed, evidence-based articles and scholarly materials that will strengthen not only this assignment but your development as an advanced practice nurse. ????
I look forward to reading your thoughtful and well-supported submissions!
Kind regards,
Collepals.com Plagiarism Free Papers
Are you looking for custom essay writing service or even dissertation writing services? Just request for our write my paper service, and we'll match you with the best essay writer in your subject! With an exceptional team of professional academic experts in a wide range of subjects, we can guarantee you an unrivaled quality of custom-written papers.
Get ZERO PLAGIARISM, HUMAN WRITTEN ESSAYS
Why Hire Collepals.com writers to do your paper?
Quality- We are experienced and have access to ample research materials.
We write plagiarism Free Content
Confidential- We never share or sell your personal information to third parties.
Support-Chat with us today! We are always waiting to answer all your questions.
