NUR 612 Advanced Health Assessment and Diagnostic Reasoning

4 Credits

This course is designed to prepare the advanced practice nurse student to demonstrate sound theoretical and practice skills for making clinical decisions. Students are expected to have knowledge of basic health assessment skills and to be able to build from those skills to complete comprehensive health histories and advanced holistic assessments of adult clients. The comprehensive database includes physical, psychological, cultural, functional, spiritual, and psychosocial dimensions of the adult client. In addition to clinical data gathering skills, students use diagnostic reasoning and clinical problem-solving skills including: differential diagnosis; ordering and interpreting common diagnostic tests; procedures used in primary care; and documentation of findings. Students are also required to complete a laboratory component and 42 clinical hours in which they engage in actual practice with consenting adult clients.

Prerequisite(s): A baccalaureate Health Assessment course or its equivalent.