UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA
COLLEGE OF NURSING
COURSE SYLLABUS
FALL 2012
COURSE NUMBER NGR 7003 - Section 6812
COURSE TITLE Advanced Diagnostic Reasoning
CREDITS 3
PLACEMENT DNP Program
PREREQUISITE NGR 7890 Outcomes Research and Evaluation
COREQUISITE None
FACULTY / OFFICE / PHONE / OFFICE HOURSRosalyn R. Reischman, DSN, ARNP
reischma@.ufl.edu / 3rd Floor
LRC-HSC
Jacksonville / (904) 244-5175 (O)
(904) 887-4232 (M) / Wednesdays
1200-1400
and By appointment
DEPARTMENT CHAIR
Joyce Stechmiller, PhD, ACNP, FAAN
/ HPNP 3230
Gainesville / (352) 273-6394 / By appointment
JACKSONVILLE CAMPUS DIRECTOR
Andrea Gregg, DSN, RN
/ 3rd Floor
LRC-HSC
Jacksonville / (904) 244-5172 / By appointment
COURSE DESCRIPTION: This course provides the opportunity for the student to engage in inductive or inferential processes to derive diagnoses using data sets and information technology. Emphasis is on use of a high degree of sophistication in critical thinking and logic, and includes the application of scientific knowledge and logical processes to complex clinical issues. The focus is on the cognitive transition from individual cases to aggregates in selected settings and on the use of complex cognitive and decision making skills in practice with aggregates.
COURSE OBJECTIVES: Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:
1. Employ heuristics to identify salient data relevant to selected health problems.
2. Synthesize data sets from aggregates to formulate plausible diagnostic hypotheses.
3. Design tests to evaluate diagnostic hypotheses and rule out those of low probability in selected aggregates.
4. Propose contexts within which the need for other data exists when faced with
atypical presentation in aggregates.
5. Evaluate the appropriateness of informatics applications to clinical hypothesis formulation and testing.
COURSE SCHEDULE
Web-based course – online activities as posted on course E-Learning in Sakai web site.
E-Learning in Sakai is the course management system that is used for this course. E-Learning in Sakai is accessed by using the student’s Gatorlink account name and password at http://lss.at.ufl.edu. There are several tutorials and student help links on the E-Learning login site. If you have technical questions call the UF Computer Help Desk at 352-392-HELP or send email to .
It is important for the student to regularly check their Gatorlink account email for College and University wide information and the course E-Learning site for announcements and notifications.
The student is responsible for accessing the course web page several times per week. Important announcements and online materials related to the course activities and requirements will be continuously updated.
CLASS TIME AND PREPARATION
This is a 3 credit hour theory course. In order to be successful, it is expected that students will need to spend at least 3 hours weekly preparing for each hour of academic credit, which translates to weekly class/web preparation time of 9 hours (including weeks with no classroom meeting due to holidays).
ATTENDANCE
Students are expected to participate in the activities and discussions as listed in the course syllabus and on the course web-site. Timeframes for the posting and receiving of materials are listed in the course materials on the course web-site. A grade penalty may be assigned for late assignments.
Web based Lecture, Discussions and Assignments: This course uses web-based, asynchronous lectures and discussions. The Weekly sessions begin on Wednesday at 8am and end on Tuesday at midnight.
- Discussion postings made after deadlines will not be considered for evaluation.
- Students must post completed assignments by the Assignment due date. Deductions of 5 points a day (beginning the day following the deadline) will occur for ALL late assignments. Please contact Dr. Reischman prior to a due date if there is an emergency that will prevent you from turning in the assignment by the deadline.
ACCOMMODATIONS DUE TO DISABILITY
Each semester, students are responsible for requesting a memorandum from the Disability Resource Center to notify faculty of their requested individual accommodations. This should be done at the start of the semester.
COUNSELING AND STUDENT HEALTH
Students may occasionally have personal issues that arise on the course of pursuing higher education or that may interfere with their academic performance. If you find yourself facing problems affecting your coursework, you are encouraged to talk with an instructor and to seek confidential assistance at the University of Florida Counseling Center, 352-392-1575, or Student Mental Health Services, 352-392-1171. Visit their web sites for more information: http://www.counsel.ufl.edu/ or http://www.health.ufl.edu/shcc/smhs/index.htm#urgent
STUDENT HANDBOOK
Students are to refer to the College of Nursing Student Handbook for information about College of Nursing policies, honor code, and professional behavior.
TOPICAL OUTLINE:
1. Heuristics and applicative methods
2. Diagnostic processes related to aggregates
3. Categories of data sets, e.g., heredity, environment, culture, idiosyncratic
physiology and/or observations
4. Sources of data sets and patterns
5. Formulating and testing hypotheses and identifying diagnostic probabilities
6. Specific applications of informatics to clinical decision making
7. Complex clinical issues in specialty practice
TEACHING METHODS
Online lectures and discussions
LEARNING ACTIVITIES
Selected readings, online lectures/links, written assignments, discussion forums
1. Online discussion forums (3): See guidelines on website
2. Clinical Problem Solving Submission: See guidelines on website
3. Diagnostic Testing Submission: See guidelines on website
4.
Learning Activity / Due dateDiagnostic Reasoning Forum (3 weeks) / September 5-25
Clinical Problem-Solving Forum (3 weeks) / September 26-October 16
Clinical Problem Solving Paper
Focus
Paper / September 4
October 30
Diagnostic Testing Forum (3 weeks) / October 31-November 20
Diagnostic Testing Paper
Focus
Paper / October 23
December 4
EVALUATION METHODS/COURSE GRADE CALCULATION
ASSIGNMENT / % / Due DateWho’s Who Activity + Roster Photo (Individual) / 4 / August 28
Diagnostic Reasoning Forum (Group) / 12 / September 25
Clinical Problem-Solving Forum (Group) / 12 / October 16
Clinical Problem-Solving Paper (Individual) / 30 / October 30
Diagnostic Testing Forum (Group) / 12 / November 20
Diagnostic Testing Paper (Individual) / 30 / December 4
TOTAL / 100
Faculty Feedback
· Written assignments will be graded within ten (10) business (e.g., Saturday & Sunday not counted) days of receipt.
· Response to emails received by faculty via the course Sakai email system will be sent within three (3) business days of receipt.
GRADING SCALE/QUALITY POINTS
A 95-100 (4.0) C 74-79* (2.0)
A- 93-94 (3.67) C- 72-73 (1.67)
B+ 91- 92 (3.33) D+ 70-71 (1.33)
B 84-90 (3.0) D 64-69 (1.0)
B- 82-83 (2.67) D- 62-63 (0.67)
C+ 80-81 (2.33) E 61 or below (0.0)
* 74 is the minimal passing grade
REQUIRED TEXTS
BOOK:
Higgs, J., Jones, M.A., Loftus, S., & Christensen, N. ((2008). Clinical reasoning in the health professions
(3rd ed.). Boston: Elsevier.
ONLINE: These two (2) resources below are accessed (without fee, through off-campus access) through
the HSCL Databases through the Access Medicine database.
Mark, D.B., & Wong, J.B. (2012). Chapter 3. Decision-Making in Clinical Medicine. In
D.L. Longo, A.S. Fauci, S.L Kasper, S.L. Hauser, J.L. Jameson, J.Loscalzo (Eds), Harrison’s Online (18th ed). http://www.accessmedicine.com/resourceTOC.aspx?resourceID=4.
Nicoll, C. D., Pignone, M., & Chuanyi, M.L. (2012). Chapter e3. Diagnostic testing and medical decision
making. In, S.J. McPhee, & M. A. Papdakis (Eds), Current medical diagnosis and treatment (51th
ed.). http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=21978.
Selected journal readings and online resources
Previous applicable texts from DNP core curriculum
Approved: Academic Affairs Committee: 02/05; 03/05; Faculty: 03/05; UF Curriculum Committee: 02/06
NGR 7003- Section – 6812 - Fall 2012-Reischman- Final Page 1