Formulating a Differential Diagnosis for the Advanced Practice Provider

Awarded second place in the 2022 AJN Book of the Year Awards in Advanced Practice Nursing

Praise for the First Edition:

"Developing a comprehensive differential diagnosis for a specific complaint is a daunting task even for experienced advanced practice nurses. This user-friendly clinical guide provides a strategy and standard format for working through this complex task. It is a wonderful tool for both students and new advanced practice nurses."-5 stars, Doody's

This one-of-a-kind resource is designed to help Advanced Practice Provider students master the process of conducting a quality differential diagnosis. It contains 95 symptom-based cases that empower readers to practice and hone their clinical skills. Consistently formatted, patient-based case scenarios begin with a common symptom and provide expert guidance to help students work though a diagnosis. Diagnostic reasoning for each clinical scenario is presented step-by-step and each step is explicitly linked to the next. They are now organized by body system and coordinate with related texts for easy reference.

Cases include focused patient history questions and responses, physical exam findings, a differential diagnosis table, a diagnostic examination table, and a summary analyzing the critical thinking process. Symptoms are presented via a systematic case study approach that encompasses chief complaint, past history, physical exam, case study, differential diagnosis, diagnostic exam, and clinical decision making. Boxes comparing clinical characteristics and differential diagnosis further help to illuminate the decision-making process.

New to the Third Edition:

• Includes 23 completely new cases
• Delivers 55 Test Bank Multiple Choice Questions for instructors to assign
• Provides online access to 18 additional cases
• Reorganized by body system for easy reference
• Presented in two-color design for ease of use

Key Features:

• Provides step-by-step approach to building sound clinical decision-making skills
• Links each step to the next for utmost clarity
• Guides APP students and novice practitioners in conducting a problem-focused history and examination
• Presents cases systematically for ease of use
• Includes unique differential diagnosis tables and diagnostic examination tables to clarify decision-making strategies

Illuminates decision making with boxes comparing clinical characteristics and differential diagnosis

Jacqueline Rhoads, PhD, ACNP-BC, ANP-C, PMHNP-BE, FAANP, has held many faculty positions during her career and has taught in nurse practitioner programs since 1994. Dr. Rhoads has been awarded major research funding for a variety of research projects and continues to foster an evidence-based practice implementing outcomes-focused care. She is a fellow in the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners and has been awarded numerous commendations and medals for meritorious service in the U.S. Army Nurse Corps. Dr. Rhoads has authored four books for nursing publishers, as well as numerous articles. Her book Nurses' Clinical Consult to Psychopharmacology was awarded first place as an American Journal of Nursing Book of the Year. The first edition of Clinical Consult to Psychiatric Mental Health Care won second place as an AJN Book of the year.

Julie Penick, DNP, PhD, MSN, FNP-BC, maintains both an active family practice, specializing in complementary and alternative health care modalities, and an education practice where she is full-time lead faculty in an MSN-FNP program at Herzing University. Dr. Penick earned her MSN in adult health nursing in 1992, her post-master's family nurse practitioner certificate in 1996, her PhD in Energy Medicine in 2003, and her DNP in 2011. Dr. Penick has been involved with numerous research projects and continues to be involved in research projects that involve the application of 'energy' as healing approaches - be that nutrient energy, subtle energy techniques, application of magnetic field energy, and application of direct or indirect current. Dr. Penick is active in curriculum writing and conducting continuing professional education for nurses. Dr. Penick has been a certified family nurse practitioner through the American Nurse Credentialing Center (ANCC) for more than 25 years.