Apply critical thinking to diagnostic reasoning in case studies
This assignment is an opportunity to practice diagnostic reasoning and adding the appropriate selection of diagnostic tests in patient assessment and treatment.
Upon successful completion of this assignment, you will be able to:
- Apply critical thinking to diagnostic reasoning in case studies.
- Incorporate evidence-based practice in selecting diagnostic tests.
- Identify appropriate diagnostic tests based on client findings.
Apply critical thinking to diagnostic reasoning in case studies
Upon successful completion of this assignment you will be able to:
- Discuss the critical thinking process involved in the diagnostic reasoning of Mood Disorders.
- Identify Mood Disorder diagnoses and the history and mental status exam findings associated with them.
- Select appropriate evidence-based practice (EBP) resources for use in the diagnostic process.
- Identify the elements of history, physical exam and mental status exam on which to base Mood Disorder diagnoses.
- Demonstrate diagnostic reasoning in the development of differential Mood Disorder diagnoses based on client history, physical exam and mental health exam findings.
Resources
- Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorder, 5th Edition, pages 87-188.
- Manual of Rating Scales for the Assessment of Mood Disorders, pages 19-21, 24-27, Appendix A41-44.
- Pagana, K.D and Pagana, T.J (2011). Mosby’s Diagnostic & Laboratory Test Reference, 11th Edition. Elsevier Mosby: Missouri.
Background Information
- Unless there is a pressing reason to do so, do not complete this assignment until you have reviewed your feedback from your instructor from Assignment 2.4.
- Choose one of the following symptoms to complete this assignment. Cite at least one reference for the symptom that you discuss. Remember, the purpose is to practice the diagnostic reasoning process. EXPLAIN WHAT YOU ARE THINKING!
restlessness | heart palpitations |
fatigue | Unexpected weight loss |
hypersomnia | insomnia |
Instructions
For this first attempt, you will review an initial assessment of a mood disordered patient.
- For your chosen symptom, create a patient. Choose an age and gender for your patient. Assume that you are given the patient’s presenting complaint that they gave the receptionist or the MA when they were put in the room. Please approach the patient from a non-emergent perspective. Do not tell me that your 49-year-old male patient has threatened to commit suicide so you called the mobile crisis team.
- Discuss the initial diagnoses you would consider before entering the exam room based on their age, gender, and chief complaint. Make your initial differential broad; include any mental health diagnosis that may be plausible. Then, list what questions you would ask the patient. Makeup answers.
- Then discuss how those answers added to, eliminated from and changed your initial differential list.
- List additional questions you would have for the patient based on their previous answers and the reasoning process.
- Give the answers to those questions and how they influenced your differential. By this time your differential should be much shorter.
- Then list what tests you would order for this patient. Make up some findings. Give a rationale for ordering vs. not ordering a test for that patient. Give an overall plan for diagnostic testing with the rationale for each test.
- Discuss how the test results support or rule out the diagnoses left on your differential list.
- List the top 3 diagnoses you are left with. How likely do you consider each to be? Why?
- Please place a copy of the grading rubric at the end of the scenario.
- When you have completed your assignment, save a copy for yourself and submit a copy to your instructor using the Assignment by day Seven of the workshop.
- Review the rubric to make sure you understand the criteria for earning your grade.