Advanced Health Assessment Clinical

NURS 5102

1 Credit Hour

3 contact hours/week

This clinical lab course emphasizes the application of advanced assessment techniques to perform focused and comprehensive health assessments of clients across the lifespan.  Clinical analysis and synthesis of physical assessment data and diagnostic reasoning skills are developed.  

At the conclusion of this course the student will be able to:

1.      Obtain a pertinent, relevant, and problem-specific health history utilizing interviewing skills that are appropriate to the developmental, educational, and cultural characteristics of the client.

2.      Conduct a focused and comprehensive physical examination for the purpose of health promotion, physical diagnosis, and treatment utilizing advanced health assessment techniques.

3.      Analyze the findings from the health history, physical examination, and diagnostic procedures to differentiate normal from abnormal findings.

4.      Synthesize the findings from the health history, physical examination, diagnostic procedures, and differential diagnoses to formulate a problem list.

5.      Present the findings of the history and physical examination in a clear, concise, and organized manner using the problem oriented (SOAP) recording method.

Prerequisite: Admission to the RODP-MSN program or permission of Coordinator.

Co-requisite:  NURS 5101 Advanced Health Assessment

Interviewing and the Health History: Developmental and Cultural Considerations

Advanced Assessment of Children and Adults with Problems Related to:

Skin, Hair, and Nails

Head and Neck

Thorax and Lungs

Cardiovascular System

Abdomen

Breasts and Axillae

Male Genitourinary System

Female Genitourinary System

Musculoskeletal System

Neurological System

Please visit the Virtual Bookstore to obtain textbook information for this course:  http://rodp.bkstr.com

It is strongly recommended that students purchase a high quality stethoscope with a diaphragm and bell (adult and pediatric), ophthalmoscope, and otoscope.

The minimum requirements can be found at http://www.rodp.org/students/hardware_software.htm. 

Access to a video-camera or DVD recorder is also required for this course.

The minimum requirements can be found at http://www.rodp.org/students/hardware_software.htm. 

Additional software requirements for this course include Microsoft Office (Word, PowerPoint), Acrobat Reader, and supporting software for video-conferencing.

Please see the separate page inside the course to find instructor contact information as well as a statement of virtual office hours and other communication information.

A  = 93-100
B  = 85-92
C  = 77-84
D  = 70-76
F  = <70

• Focused System Write-Ups (10)

Ten write-ups of focused physical examinations related to selected problems of ten systems covered in class will follow the problem oriented (SOAP) format. Each write-up will be typed and electronically submitted to the assignment drop box for evaluation. Criteria used for evaluation will be accuracy, organization, logical flow, appropriate use of abbreviations, succinctness, and inclusion of appropriate assessment tests and procedures. Refer to Bates, pp. 16-20 for format guidelines and a sample write-up. The following labs require a write-up:

1.      Interview and the Health History

2.      Skin, Hair, and Nails

3.      Head and Neck

4.      Thorax and Lungs

5.      Cardiovascular System

6.      Abdomen

7.      Breasts and Axillae

8.      Male Genitourinary System

9.      Musculoskeletal System

10.  Neurological System

·        Focused Physical Examination (5)

Five focused physical exams will be conducted throughout the semester, each one being focused on one health problem or system related to a symptom/complaint. Another student in the course, lab partner, friend, or neighbor (no first degree relatives) will be selected to be interviewed and examined. Each examination will be videotaped and should not exceed 20 minutes. If possible, a client with the actual symptom should be selected. If this is not possible, the student must develop a script with responses related to the symptom for the client to use during the staged examination. The videotape should be mailed to your faculty and postmarked by 12 midnight on Friday of the week that the exam is assigned. The following examinations must be videotaped:

1.      Head and Neck

2.      Thorax and Lungs

3.      Cardiovascular System

4.      Abdomen

5.      Musculoskeletal System

The videotape will be critiqued, using the competency criteria listed for each system. Be certain that you don't leave any competencies out. You will either pass (with 100) or fail. If you fail, you must repeat the exam once. If you fail the second time, you will receive a 0 score for the assignment.

• Comprehensive Physical Examination and Write-Up

One comprehensive head-to-toe client assessment (inclusive of all systems except the genitourinary system) applying basic and advanced assessment techniques will be performed on an adult client or adolescent over the age of 13 years old. If an adolescent is assessed, the permission from the parent must be obtained and submitted to your faculty prior to the exam. The student will write up the results of the history and physical assessment using the problem oriented (SOAP) format (See Bates pp. 16-20 for a sample write-up). A videotape of the comprehensive physical exam will be submitted. The tape must not exceed 60 continuous minutes.  It must address all critical components (listed in the course materials) of each system.  All critical components must be audible and visible on the videotape. The student may not refer to notes during the examination. The examination must take place in an appropriate setting and the examiner must be in professional dress. The videotape is to be mailed to the course faculty member and postmarked by 12 midnight on the day that it is due. The videotape will be critiqued, using specific competency criteria. Be certain that you don't leave any competencies out. You will either pass (with 100) or fail. If you fail, you must repeat the exam once. If you fail the second time, you will receive a 0 score for the assignment. 10 points will be deducted from the final score for the assignment for each day the videotape is late.

Videotape Guidelines

·        Students are required to supply all video equipment.  Tapes will be returned to the student.

·        A video release form must be signed by the client and student each time an examination is videotaped. A signed release form (located in course materials) should be turned in with each videotape assignment. If the student fails to turn in a release form with the videotape, the faculty will not grade the assignment until the release form is submitted. The assignment will be considered late, and penalties for late assignments will be assigned.

·        When videotaping, the camera must be focused on the examiner and the area being assessed. The faculty grading the assignment will need to verify technique, and if the video camera is too far away from the area being examined, the technique can not be verified and the student will have to repeat the videotape.

·        Any identifiers related to the client being examined must be removed prior to videotaping.

·        Students will not use notes or the criteria sheet while performing and videotaping either the focused or comprehensive examination assignments.

·        Time limits for each assignment will be strictly enforced. The student will not edit the videotape prior to submitting it to the faculty.

·        Partners or clients are not permitted to assist or cue the student examiner. If this occurs, the student will receive a zero on the videotaped assignment.

Students are expected to:

•         Check the course calendar for the due dates of assignments.

•         Check the course bulletin board frequently for announcements.

The student is expected to:

•         Learn how to navigate in the WebCT system.

•         Participate by responding to all discussion questions.

•         Keep abreast of course announcements.

•         Use the assigned college or university e-mail address as opposed to a personal e-mail address.

•         Contact the instructor if unclear about assignment expectations.

•         Address technical problems immediately.

            Email:

•         Always include a subject line.

•         Remember without facial expressions some comments may be taken the wrong way.

•         Be careful in wording your emails. Use of emoticons might be helpful in some cases.

•         Use standard fonts.

•         Do not send large attachments without permission.

•         Special formatting such as centering, audio messages, tables, html, etc. should be avoided unless necessary to complete an assignment or other communication.

•         Respect the privacy of other class members.

            Discussion Groups:

•         Review the discussion threads thoroughly before entering the discussion.

•         Try to maintain threads by using the "Reply" button rather starting a new topic.

•         Do not make insulting or inflammatory statements to other members of the discussion group.

•         Be respectful of others’ ideas.

•         Be patient and read the comments of other group members thoroughly before entering your remarks.

•         Be cooperative with group leaders in completing assigned tasks.

•         Be positive and constructive in group discussions.

•         Respond in a thoughtful and timely manner.

            Chat:

•         Introduce yourself to the other learners in the chat session.

•         Be polite. Choose your words carefully. Do not use derogatory statements.

•         Be concise in responding to others in the chat session.

•         Be prepared to open the chat session at the scheduled time.

•         Be constructive in your comments and suggestions.

The Tennessee Virtual Library is available to all students enrolled in the Regents Degree Program. Links to library materials (such as electronic journals, databases, interlibrary loans, digital reserves, dictionaries, encyclopedias, maps, and librarian support) and Internet resources needed by learners to complete online assignments and as background reading must be included in all courses.

Qualified students with disabilities will be provided reasonable and necessary academic accommodations if determined eligible by the appropriate disability services staff at their home institution. Prior to granting disability accommodations in this course, the instructor must receive written verification of a student's eligibility for specific accommodations from the disability services staff at the home institution. It is the student's responsibility to initiate contact with his/her home institution's disability services staff and to follow the established procedures for having the accommodation notice sent to the instructor.

The instructor reserves the right to make changes as necessary to this syllabus. If changes are necessitated during the term of the course, the instructor will immediately notify students of such changes both by individual email communication and posting both notification and nature of change(s) on the course bulletin board.

If you are having problems logging into the course, timing out of the course, using the course web site tools, or other technical problems, please visit the AskRODP Customer Support web page at http://askrodp.custhelp.com or call the AskRODP Help Desk at      1-866-550-RODP (1-866-550-7637)