NURS 6512 iHuman Case Study – Advanced Health Assessment and Diagnostic Reasoning

NURS 6512 – Advanced Health Assessment and Diagnostic Reasoning is a 5-credit graduate-level course at Walden University designed for advanced practice nursing students. The course prepares students to perform comprehensive and competent health assessments for patients across the lifespan, focusing on both physical and emotional well-being. Students develop advanced skills in diagnostic reasoning, communication, and physical assessment to detect changes in health patterns and provide safe, evidence-based care.

Key elements of NURS 6512 (Advanced Health Assessment and Diagnostic Reasoning)

• Assessment across the lifespan: Emphasizing both healthy individuals and those with acute or chronic health problems.
• Advanced skills: Training in reading 12-lead EKGs, interpreting X-rays, and, in some versions, suturing techniques.
• Risk evaluation and prevention: Integrating risk assessment as a central theme, with a focus on preventative health and early identification of health issues.
• Evidence-based practice: Assignments and activities designed to strengthen diagnostic reasoning and the application of current best practices.
• Holistic and culturally competent care: Encouraging consideration of life circumstances, cultural, ethnic, and developmental variations in patient assessment.
• By the end of the course, students are expected to:
• Apply critical thinking to clinical assessment and decision-making.
• Elicit and interpret health histories and physical examination data.
• Relate assessment findings to underlying pathophysiology.
• Establish differential diagnoses and evaluate options for prevention and palliative care.
• Analyze ethical and evidence-based considerations in health assessment.

Prerequisites: NURS 6501 (Advanced Pathophysiology) and NURS 6521 (Advanced Pharmacology) as a pre- or co-requisite