NURS 6512 Assessment Tools, Diagnostics, Growth, Measurement, and Nutrition in Adults and Children
Sample Answer for NURS 6512 Assessment Tools, Diagnostics, Growth, Measurement, and Nutrition in Adults and Children Included After Question
Many experts predict that genetic testing for disease susceptibility is well on its way to becoming a routine part of clinical care. Yet many of the genetic tests currently being developed are, in the words of the World Health Organization (WHO), of “questionable prognostic value.”
– Leslie Pray, PhD
Obesity remains one of the most common chronic diseases in the United States. As a leading cause of United States mortality, morbidity, disability, healthcare utilization and healthcare costs, the high prevalence of obesity continues to strain the United States healthcare system (Obesity Society, 2016). More than one-third (36.5%) of U.S. adults have obesity (CDC, 2016). The estimated annual medical cost of obesity in the U.S. was $147 billion in 2008 U.S. dollars; the medical costs for people who are obese were $1,429 higher than those of normal weight (CDC, 2016).
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the rate of childhood obesity has tripled in the past 30 years, with an estimated 12.5 million children considered obese (CDC, 2012). When seeking insights about a patient’s overall health and nutritional state, body measurements can provide a valuable perspective. This is particularly important with pediatric patients. Measurements such as height and weight can provide clues to potential health problems and help predict how children will respond to illness. Nurses need to be proficient at using assessment tools such as the Body Mass Index (BMI) and growth charts in order to assess nutrition-related health risks and pediatric development while being sensitive to other factors that may affect these measures. Body Mass Index is also used as a predictor for measurement of adult weight and health.
Assessments are constantly being conducted on patients, but they may not provide useful information. In order to ensure that health assessments provide relevant data, nurses should familiarize themselves with test-specific factors that may affect the validity, reliability, and value of these tools.
This week, you will explore various assessment tools and diagnostic tests that are used to gather information about patients’ conditions. You will examine the validity and reliability of these tests and tools. You will also examine assessment techniques, health risks and concerns, and recommendations for care related to patient growth, weight, and nutrition.
Learning Objectives
Students will:
Evaluate validity and reliability of assessment tools and diagnostic tests.
Analyze diversity considerations in health assessments.
Apply concepts, theories, and principles related to examination techniques, functional assessments, and cultural and diversity awareness in health assessment.
Assess weight-related health risks for pediatric patients.
Design effective strategies for communicating with parents or caregivers about children’s weight-related health.
Apply concepts, theories, and principles relating to health assessment techniques and considerations related to growth, measurement, and nutrition.
Apply assessment skills to collect patient health histories*
*The Assignment related to this Learning Objective is introduced this week and submitted in Week 4.
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Learning Resources
Required Readings
Note: To access this week’s required library resources, please click on the link to the Course Readings List, found in the Course Materials section of your Syllabus.
Ball, J. W., Dains, J. E., Flynn, J. A., Solomon, B. S., & Stewart, R. W. (2015). Seidel’s guide to physical examination (8th ed.). St. Louis, MO: Elsevier Mosby.
Chapter 3, “Examination Techniques and Equipment” (pp. 30-49). This chapter explains the physical examination techniques of inspection, palpation, percussion, and auscultation. This chapter also explores special issues and equipment relevant to the physical exam process.
Chapter 6, “Growth and Measurement” (pp. 79-94). In this chapter, the authors explain examinations for growth, gestational age, and pubertal development. The authors also differentiate growth amongst the organ systems.
Chapter 7, “Nutrition” (pp. 95-113). This chapter focuses on how nutrition affects growth, development, and health maintenance. The authors also provide guidelines for assessing nutrient intake.
Review of Chapter 26, “Recording Information” (pp. 616-631). This chapter provides rationale and methods for maintaining clear and accurate records. The text also explores the legal aspects of patient records.
Dains, J. E., Baumann, L. C., & Scheibel, P. (2016). Advanced health assessment and clinical diagnosis in primary care (5th ed.). St. Louis, MO: Elsevier Mosby.
Chapter 1, “Clinical Reasoning, Differential Diagnosis, Evidence-Based Practice, and Symptom Analysis”. This chapter introduces the diagnostic process, which includes performing an analysis of the symptoms and then formulating and testing a hypothesis. The authors discuss how becoming an expert clinician takes time and practice in developing clinical judgment.
Sullivan, D. D. (2019). Guide to clinical documentation (3rd ed.). Philadelphia, PA: F. A. Davis.
Chapter 2, “The Comprehensive History and Physical Exam” (pp. 23-32)
Appendices B-C (pp. 373-376)
Chapter 6, “Adult Preventative Care Visits” (pp. 125-139)
Chapter 5, “Pediatric Preventative Care Visits” (pp. 93-108)
Laine, C. (2012). High-value testing begins with a few simple questions. Annals of Internal Medicine, 156(2), 162–163. Retrieved from the Walden Library databases. This article supplies a list of questions physicians should ask themselves before ordering tests. The authors provide general guidelines for maximizing the value received from testing.
Qaseem, A., Alguire, P., Dallas, P., Feinberg, L. E., Fitzgerald, F. T., Horwitch, C., & … Weinberger, S. (2012). Appropriate use of screening and diagnostic tests to foster high-value, cost-conscious care. Annals of Internal Medicine, 156(2), 147–150.
Seidel, H. M., Ball, J. W., Dains, J. E., Flynn, J. A., Solomon, B. S., & Stewart, R. W. (2011).History subjective data checklist. In Mosby’s guide to physical examination (7th ed.). St. Louis, MO: Elsevier Mosby. (PDF), This History Subjective Data Checklist was published as a companion to Seidel’s guide to physical examination (8th ed.), by Ball, J. W., Dains, J. E., & Flynn, J. A. Copyright Elsevier (2015). From https://evolve.elsevier.com/
Gibbs, H., & Chapman-Novakofski, K. (2012). Exploring nutrition literacy: Attention to assessment and the skills clients need. Health, 4(3), 120–124. Retrieved from the Walden Library databases. This study explores nutrition literacy. The authors examine the level of attention paid to health literacy among nutrition professionals, and the skills and knowledge needed to understand nutrition education.
Martin, B. C., Dalton, W. T., Williams, S. L., Slawson, D. L., Dunn, M. S., & Johns-Wommack, R. (2014). Weight status misperception as related to selected health risk behaviors among middle school students. Journal of School Health, 84(2), 116–123. doi:10.1111/josh.12128,
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2012). Childhood overweight and obesity. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/childhood/. This website provides information about overweight and obese children. Additionally, the website provides basic facts about obesity and strategies to counteracting obesity.
Optional Resources
LeBlond, R. F., Brown, D. D., & DeGowin, R. L. (2014). DeGowin’s diagnostic examination (10th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw Hill Medical.
Chapter 3, “The Physical Screening Examination”
Chapter 17, “Principles of Diagnostic Testing”
Chapter 18, “Common Laboratory Tests”
2 months ago
A Sample Answer For the Assignment: NURS 6512 Assessment Tools, Diagnostics, Growth, Measurement, and Nutrition in Adults and Children
Title: NURS 6512 Assessment Tools, Diagnostics, Growth, Measurement, and Nutrition in Adults and Children
Mammography is a screening tool used in detecting breast cancer. It is an x-ray of the breast, which helps identify tumors or microcalcifications that can possibly indicate that breast cancer is present (National Cancer Institute, 2016). Early screening may lead to detection of lesions on mammography that would not otherwise be detected or pathologic during a woman’s lifetime. Mammography is the most common screening tool used. Decisions regarding mammography screening require thoughtful review of the balance of risks and benefits (ACOG, 2017). Evidence has shown that mammography performed on women 50-69 years of age decreases mortality of breast cancer. However, it also increases overdiagnosis; identifying cancers that pose an insignificant threat. Over-testing and increased anxiety can also can result from false-positive exams. In women receiving annual mammography screenings for 10 years, 50% of them will experience a false positive result. Additionally, 7-17% of these women will undergo further testing and receive a biopsy (National Cancer Institute, 2018). The differences in balancing benefits versus harms is what has led to the differences among major guidelines about the starting age, stopping age, and frequency of mammograms (ACOG, 2017). In women ages 40-50, mammography screening has been controversial due to its lower sensitivity and specificity. In 2016 The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force changed its recommendations to individual decision making, explaining that it should be an individual decision whether to begin regular, biennial mammography screening prior to 50 years of age. The decision should be individualized, and the woman’s health, and beliefs and values regarding specific benefits and harms should be taken into consideration. The American College of Physicians agrees with these recommendations (Bickley & Szilagyi, 2017). According to Susan G. Komen (2018), mammography sensitivity is approximately 87%. Mammography can miss approximately 13% of all breast cancers. This can be related to factors such as dense breast tissue, lower-quality imaging, inexperienced radiologist, or women on hormone therapy (Susan G. Komen, 2018).
References
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). (2017). Breast cancer
risk assessment and screening in average-risk women. Retrieved from https://www.acog.org/Clinical-Guidance-and-Publications/Practice-Bulletins/Committee-on-Practice-Bulletins-Gynecology/Breast-Cancer-Risk-Assessment-and-Screening-in-Average-Risk-Women
Bickley, L., & Szilagyi, P. (2017) Bate’s guide to physical examination and history
taking (12th ed.). Philadelphia, PA; Wolters Kluwer.
National Institute of Cancer. (2016). Mammograms. National Institutes of Health.
Retrieved from https://www.cancer.gov/types/breast/mammograms-fact-sheet
National Institute of Cancer. (2018). Breast cancer screening (PDQ) – health professional
version. National Institutes of Health. Retrieved from https://www.cancer.gov/types/breast/hp/breast-screening-pdq
Susan G. Komen. (2018). Accuracy of mammograms. Retrieved from
https://ww5.komen.org/BreastCancer/AccuracyofMammograms.html
