Course Syllabus
Course Description
Number: NURS5420
Title: Advanced Health Assessment
Credit: 1-3-2
Catalog description: This course will build upon health assessment skills developed in the professional nurse's basic educational program. The theoretical and clinical basis for assessment in advanced nursing practice will be developed. The process whereby the advanced practitioner utilizes comprehensive physical, psychosocial, and cultural assessment across the lifespan to gather specific data relevant to common health problems is demonstrated. Faculty and preceptors facilitate laboratory and clinical experiences, which focus on assessment of clients and presentation of findings in a variety of settings. Emphasis will be placed on important assessment concepts needed to support the goals of Healthy People 2010 to improve clients’ quality of life and reduce health disparities.
Prerequisite(s): Admission to Graduate Nursing Program or Senior Standing in BSN Program with 3.00 GPA
Corequisite(s): None
Textbook Information
Required:
Advanced Health Assessment and Clinical Diagnosis in Primary Care (2007), 3rd edition by Jennifer E. Foreman, Pameal Scheibel, and Linda Ciofu, ISBN: 032304428
Recommended:
None.
Technology Requirements
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Each CSU student is required to have ready access throughout the semester to a notebook computer that meets the ITP Choice requirements (http://itpchoice.clayton.edu/) for the student's academic program.
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Students must have access to the Internet either through the on-campus local area network or through an Internet Service Provider.
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Students must be proficient with Internet access, WebCT Vista and Microsoft Office and demonstrate competency using web browsers, website navigation, search engines and e-mail communication.
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Contact the HUB for software and connectivity issues; no excuse will be accepted for inability to access the Internet and/or technical difficulties.
Course Objectives
By the completion of the course, the student should be able to:
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Collect a relevant and problem-specific health history utilizing interviewing skills that are appropriate to the developmental, educational, and cultural characteristics of the client.
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Perform episodic history and physical assessment based on an individual’s health problem or symptom complaint.
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Conduct comprehensive assessments on an individual for the purpose of health promotion, physical diagnosis, and treatment utilizing advanced health assessment techniques.
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Analyze the findings from the health history and physical assessments, and diagnostic procedures to differentiate normal from abnormal findings.
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Synthesize the findings from the health history, physical assessment, diagnostic procedures, and differential diagnoses to formulate a problem list.
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Communicate a comprehensive oral and written summary of the database and problem list.
Methods of Instruction
This course will be taught in a module format. Within each module, students will view PowerPoint lectures on the specified content for the week, complete a case study, view videos applicable to the weekly topic, respond to Discussion Questions, and complete a post-quiz.
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Learning Teams: Students will be assigned to an online learning team. This team will serve as the students’ lab group. Students will use the group to discuss health assessment techniques and experiences conducting focused assessments during the course.
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Diagnostic Basic Head-To-Toe Assessment
Students are expected to validate their current knowledge of health assessment during the first day of class. Prior to the first day of class, students will study and practice basic physical assessment by independent study. In addition, students will be assigned online lab groups and a clinical preceptor. The student must pass this Diagnostic Basic Head-To-Toe Examination with an 80%. Students who score less than 80% will have identified areas of improvement. Students will be expected to remediate and re-schedule a time with the course faculty to repeat the Basic Head-To-Toe Assessment. When performing the Diagnostic Basic Head-To-Toe assessment, the student should verbalize what they are doing and state their findings. The textbook and its CDROM for basic health assessment will assist the study in preparing for the examination. The other necessary component is practice. You will also need to practice outside of class either in your work setting or with family and friends. If students have questions regarding basic assessment techniques, questions about the criteria, or needing clarification contact the course coordinator prior to the first day of class. -
Episodic History and Physical Assessment with Write-up: An episodic health assessment is a focus on one health problem or system based on a symptom complaint. There are four required episodic write-ups. The first one is ungraded and used for constructive feedback.
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Write-up of a Complete Health History: The student will do a complete health history on an individual with a health problem who is not a relative. Once the complete history is done, the students will write-up the complete health history. The Complete Health History Evaluation Tool will be used to grade the write-up. The student must make a minimum of 80% on this activity to pass the course.
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Content Module Exams: After the completion of a module, students will take the online module self test. The textbook and skill practice prepares the student for the module exam. This module self test will be available to take after each unit is completed. Students will have 3 opportunities to retake the exam for successful self- scoring. The modules are an extra opportunity to reinforce your knowledge of advanced health assessment and do not contribute to your course grade.
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Final Health Assessment. The student will perform a focused health assessment. The student must pass this practicum demonstration with a minimum grade of 80%. Failure to pass the final practicum demonstration results in course failure. Areas omitted from this activity are female and male genitalia and rectum. Breast examination may be included in this examination. The student will write up the results of the health assessment. A videotape of the comprehensive physical exam will be submitted. The examination must take place in an appropriate setting approved by the course faculty. Students who do not pass the final health assessment will have one opportunity to repeat it.
| Module | Topic |
| 1 |
Course Orientation; Clinical Reasoning, Differential Diagnosis, and Evidence-Based Practice |
| 2 |
Common Problems of the Head, Eyes, Ears, Nose and Throat (earache, sore throat, nasal symptoms and sinus congestion, hoarseness, red eye, and vision loss) |
| 3 |
Common Problems of the skin; rashes and lesions Episodic H&P write up due week 3 (student will choose a patient that has a problem with head, eyes, ears, nose, and throat) |
| 4 |
Common Problems of the cardiovascular system; chest pain and syncope |
| 5 |
Common Problems of the respiratory system; dyspnea and cough Exam I Episodic H&P write up due week 5 (student will choose a patient that has a cardiovascular or respiratory problem) |
| 6 | Common problems of the abdomen and gastrointestinal system; abdominal pain, diarrhea, constipation, rectal pain, itching, and bleeding. |
| 7 |
Common problems of the genitourinary system; urinary incontinence; urinary problems in females and children; genitourinary problems in males; penile discharge. Episodic H&P write up due week 7 (student will choose a patient that has an abdominal problem) |
| 8 | Common gynecological problems; vaginal discharge and itching; vaginal bleeding; amenorrhea. |
| 9 |
Common problems of the breasts; breast lumps and nipple discharge; breast pain. Exam 2 |
| 10 | Common problems of the musculoskeletal system; limb pain; acute low back pain. |
| 11 | Common problems of the neurological system; headache and dizziness. |
| 12 |
Common problems in mental status; confusion in older adults; sleep problems; mood, behavior changes, and psychosocial concerns. Episodic H&P write-up due week 12 |
| 13 |
Common systemic problems; fever and fatigue Exam 3 |
| 14 | Image interpretation: the chest x-ray |
Course Requirements
- Courses taught in an online format require students to be self-directed and responsible for meeting deadlines.
- Attendance is mandatory at scheduled on-campus meetings.
- Students are expected to use APA format for all submitted papers.
- Approval must be obtained from the University Institutional Review Board for all research studies.
- This syllabus provides a general plan for this course; the faculty reserve the right to make changes to the syllabus and/or course schedule including but not limited to assignments, time tables, examinations, projects, etc.
Evaluation
| Complete Health History | 10% |
| Episodic Write-ups | 30% |
| Final Health Assessment | 20% |
| 3 Exams (10% each) | 30% |
| Participation | 10% |
Grading Scale
| 90-100% | A |
| 80-89% | B |
| 70-79% | C |
| Below 70% | F |
Classroom Policies
- Attendance: Mandatory for scheduled on-campus meetings.
- Communication: WebCT Vista is the official tool for this course and is accessible online from any computer; students are responsible for monitoring e-mail on a regular basis and should direct all communications with faculty and other students through WebCT or Clayton State e-mail.
- Conduct: Students must abide by policies in the University Graduate Student Handbook, the Graduate Student Responsibilities, and if applicable program handbook; the code of academic integrity will be strictly enforced.
- Electronic devices: Cell phones/pagers must be turned off (or placed on vibrator mode) during class meetings. Permission from individual faculty is necessary before taping a class.
- Mid-term progress report: Mid-term grade will reflect approximately 1/3 of the entire course grade. Based on this grade, students may choose to withdraw from the course and receive a grade of “W”; contact the Registrar for withdrawal procedures.
- Submission: Students are responsible for completion and submission of all course requirements as scheduled in the course calendar. Make-up work is at the discretion of the faculty.
To obtain this document in an alternative format, contact the Disability Resource Center.