Differential Diagnosis for the Advanced Practice Nurse

by Marilee Murphy Jensen, Jacqueline Rhoads

Written for APN students and new Advanced Practice Nurses, this easy-access clinical guide to commonly seen symptoms describes how to obtain a patient history and choose the appropriate directed physical exam for the presenting problem, and how to use this patient history and physical exam findings to form a differential diagnosis.

The book walks the reader step-by-step through diagnostic reasoning to foster sound clinical decision-making skills. It presents 39 common symptoms, each of which includes exam findings and differential diagnosis. It then describes diagnostic tests with a guide to when they should be ordered (or delayed) based on clinical findings, and common management plans for diagnostic testing. Case scenarios provided for each symptom unfold as they would in a clinical setting. They demonstrate the correct approach to diagnostic reasoning from determining the focused assessment, choosing the appropriate assessment tests or lab tests, critically thinking through the assessment and diagnostic data to arrive at an appropriate diagnosis. A unique feature of the guide is its provision of a Question-Response History Table, Case Study Physical Exam Findings, and a Differential Diagnosis Table to further clarify strategies for arriving at the correct diagnosis. Diagnostic Exam Table delivers cost and coding information.

Key Features:

• Helps students and novice nurses to obtain directed-problem focused history and examination for common patient symptoms
• Provides a step-by-step approach to building clinical decision-making skills
• Offers quick access to common differential diagnoses, requisite diagnostic tests, and clinical decision-making
• Facilitates quick access to information with bullets and charts
• Designed to provide easy access format using e-reader

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