Advanced Health Assessment and Clinical Diagnosis in Primary Care, 6th Edition
Build stronger diagnostic reasoning and clinical assessment skills with Advanced Health Assessment and Clinical Diagnosis in Primary Care, 6th Edition. Designed for advanced healthcare practitioners, this practical reference goes beyond basic history and physical examination to help readers develop a structured approach to assessing common patient problems and reaching an accurate differential diagnosis.
Rather than starting with a known disease, the book guides readers through assessment based on the patient’s specific complaint. Step-by-step diagnostic reasoning sections help develop the clinical thinking skills needed to gather relevant histories, perform focused physical examinations, interpret findings, select appropriate tests, and consider possible diagnoses.
The sixth edition includes updated content throughout, with expanded coverage of geriatrics, psychiatric and mental health conditions, highly infectious diseases, genetics and genomics, laboratory testing, family history, and interprofessional collaboration. A new chapter on The Transgender Patient provides important guidance for assessing and caring for this underserved patient population.
Key Features
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Develops diagnostic reasoning skills beyond basic health assessment
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Focuses on patient complaints rather than starting with a predetermined diagnosis
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Focused History sections use self-questions to guide clinical thinking
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Focused Physical Examination sections explain advanced assessment techniques and interpretation of findings
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Key Questions connect patient responses with potential clinical significance
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Laboratory and Diagnostic Studies sections identify appropriate testing options
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Differential Diagnosis sections summarize common diagnoses and relevant findings
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Quick-reference differential diagnosis tables for each patient problem
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More than 30 new Evidence-Based Practice boxes highlighting current research
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Evidence-based preventive health screening guidance
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Information on screening for abuse and sexual assault
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Convenient chapters organized by body system
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Updated coverage of genetics/genomics, psychiatric-mental health issues, geriatrics, and other current practice topics
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New chapter on The Transgender Patient
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Interprofessional review for relevance to Nurse Practitioners, Physician Assistants, Respiratory Therapists, and other healthcare providers
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Compact size designed for convenient clinical reference
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Expanded color illustrations, full-color design, and colored thumb tabs for quick navigation
Whether you're a nurse practitioner, physician assistant, respiratory therapist, advanced practice nurse, or other healthcare professional, this sixth edition provides a practical framework for improving patient assessment, diagnostic reasoning, and clinical decision-making in primary care.
The book received second place in the 2019 AJN Book of the Year Awards in the Adult Primary Care category.