Advanced Health Assessment and Differential Diagnosis: Essentials for Clinical Practice

The first textbook to specifically target the scope of practice for advanced practice nurses and physician assistants

With a focus on promoting sound clinical decision-making and a streamlined and highly accessible approach, this text for advanced practice nurses and physician assistants delivers up-to-date primary care health assessment techniques for individuals throughout the lifespan. Each chapter offers a concise overview of anatomy and physiology and an in-depth review of normal and abnormal findings. The holistic assessment section for each system--emphasizing the importance of social considerations--further prepares students for informed clinical practice.

Chapters feature a comprehensive assessment of special populations, including patients with disabilities; pediatric, pregnant, and elderly patients; and transgendered and veteran populations, as well as differential diagnosis guidance in tabular format. Chapters are further enhanced with illustrations, images, and case studies that demonstrate clinical reasoning and application of principles to practice. A robust ancillary package includes an instructor manual, discussion questions, multiple-choice questions, and PowerPoint slides.

Key Features:

• Addresses anatomy and physiology, normal and abnormal findings, and holistic health assessment, including assessment of special populations
• Offers case studies with examples of documentation and coding information
• Fosters diagnostic reasoning and critical-thinking with thorough differential diagnosis tables
• Provides visual guidance on the recognition and assessment of normal and abnormal findings with illustrations and images
• Includes a robust ancillary package with an instructor manual, discussion questions, multiple-choice questions, and PowerPoint slides
• Purchase includes access to the eBook for use on most mobile devices or computers

Laima M. Karosas, PhD, APRN, FNP-BC, ANP-BC, is Clinical Professor of Nursing, Chair of Graduate Nursing Programs, and Director of Online Nursing Programs, Quinnipiac University, Hamden, Connecticut. Dr. Korosas has been a nurse educator for more than 20 years and a practicing nurse practitioner for more than 25 years, with experience in settings such as direct patient care, urgent care, nursing homes and assisted living, and international health care clinics. Dr. Karosas has a keen interest in non-traditional roles for advanced practice nurses in addition to maintaining expertise and promoting creativity and entrepreneurship. She is a proponent of health care delivery by an interprofessional team as well as interprofessional research to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the health care system. Dr. Karosas has collaborated with nurses internationally and has published multiple journal articles in the areas of nursing history, spiritual care, and mentorship. She has authored book chapters on the techniques of physical assessment and on cultural health assessment. Dr. Karosas has served on the member of the international editorial advisory and review board for Nursing Education, Research & Practice and is a fellow of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners.

Expert Consultant: Suzanne C. Smeltzer, EdD, RN, ANEF, FAAN, is Director of Nursing Research and Evaluation and The Richard and Marianne Kreider Endowed Professor in Nursing for Vulnerable Populations, College of Nursing, Villanova University, Villanova, Pennsylvania. Dr. Smelter is an internationally known scholar, researcher, educator and author. Committed to making health promotion practices and services accessible and acceptable for those who are physically challenged, she has done extensive research on and can discuss health issues of people with multiple sclerosis and other disabilities, how to improve the health and wellness of those who are disabled, and how to integrate disability content into the education and training of health care professionals. Dr. Smeltzer is a member of several national task forces devoted to improving the education of health care providers about health care of people with disabilities and teaching women themselves. She is a fellow in the American Academy of Nursing and has received numerous awards for her research and writing in health issues of women with disabilities, including the Villanova University Investigator Award of 2006.

Karen M. Myrick, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC, ANP-BC
Coordinator of Interdisciplinary Research
School of Interdisciplinary Health and Science, Department of Nursing
University of Saint Joseph
West Hartford, Connecticut
Clinical Associate Professor of Medical Sciences
School of Medicine
Quinnipiac University
Hamden, Connecticut