Analyze strengths and challenges related to nursing practice competencies
Module 1: Advanced Nursing Practice Competencies, Integumentary, and HEENT Conditions

What’s Happening in This Module?
This course is composed of four separate modules. Each module consists of an overarching topic and each week within the module consists of specific subtopics for learning. As you work through each module, you will have an opportunity to draw upon the knowledge you gain in various case study assignments and knowledge checks, which will be due throughout each of the modules.

Module 1: Advanced Nursing Practice Competencies, Integumentary, and HEENT Conditions is a three-week module consisting of Weeks 1–3 of the course. In Week 1, you will begin by examining competencies of advanced nursing practice. You will also reflect on your own strengths and challenges in relation to the competencies and when working with adult patients across the lifespan. Then, in Weeks 2 and 3, you will examine the evaluation and management of integumentary conditions as well as those conditions impacting HEENT in Weeks 2 and 3.

What do I have to do? When do I have to do it?
Review your Learning Resources Days 1–7 in Weeks 1, 2, and 3
Week 1 Class Café: Introductions Post by Day 2 of Week 1
Week 1 Discussion: Career Goals: Strengths and Challenges Related to Nursing Practice Competencies Post by Day 3 of Week 1 and respond to your colleagues by Day 6 of Week 1
Week 2 Assignment: i-Human Case Study: Evaluating and Managing Integumentary Conditions By Day 7 of Week 2:
Complete and submit your i-Human Case Study Assignment
Week 3 Assignment: i-Human Case Study: Evaluating and Managing HEENT Conditions By Day 7 of Week 3:
Complete and submit your i-Human Case Study Assignment
Week 3: Knowledge Check: Module 1 By Day 7 of Week 3:
Complete and submit your Module 1 Knowledge Check
Go to the Week’s Content
Week 1

Week 2

Week 3

Week 1: Competencies of Advanced Nursing Practice
Advanced nursing practice competencies focus on the unique practice knowledge, skills, and attitudes a nurse practitioner must demonstrate as they work with adults across the lifespan in clinical settings. They are developed by experts in the field and provide clarity about what is needed to be successful in your career. Competencies need to be practiced so they can be used to effectively address a wide range of situations. In addition to real-world settings, there are virtual opportunities that can facilitate the development of competencies. For example, throughout this course, you will complete case study simulation assignments with virtual i-Human patients presenting a variety of medical conditions. These types of virtual simulations provide you with the formative practice needed to help guide and prepare you for the real-world clinical experience.

For this week, you will examine advanced nursing practice competencies and reflect on your strengths and challenges related to the competencies. In light of your reflection, you will consider how this course may help you attain your career goals or objectives.

Learning Objectives
Students will:

Analyze strengths and challenges related to nursing practice competencies
Describe professional career goals or objectives
Learning Resources
Required Readings (click to expand/reduce)
Required Media (click to expand/reduce)
Class Café: Introductions

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This Class Café is a place for discussions that do not necessarily relate to the formal content of this course and will not be assessed. However, we encourage you to get to know your colleagues and familiarize yourselves with everyone’s background and personal history. Note: If your posting is of a personal nature or involves issues that are of concern only to you and require an individual response from the Instructor, please email the Instructor directly.

By Day 2
Post and introduce yourself to your colleagues and ask any questions you might have about the course or questions in general.

Respond to your colleagues and answer any questions or ask any questions that you might have.

Note: This Class Café is not required and will not be assessed; however, you are encouraged to get to know your colleagues.

Submission and Grading Information
Post by Day 2
To Participate in this Discussion:

Class Café: Introductions

Discussion: Career Goals: Strengths and Challenges Related to Nursing Practice Competencies
An advanced practice nurse collaborates and communicates with patients, families, doctors, nurses, and specialists to ensure patients receive the care they need. As they diagnose, treat, manage, and educate patients, they are responsible for ensuring patient safety and maintaining ethical behavior. Competencies have been developed to help the advanced practice nurse to understand the practice knowledge, skills, and attitudes they need to be successful.

Photo Credit: michaeljung / Adobe Stock

For this Discussion, you will examine advanced nursing practice competencies and reflect on your strengths and challenges related to the competencies. In light of your reflection, you will consider how this course may help you attain your career goals or objectives.

To prepare:

Review the Learning Resources for this week, specifically the advanced nursing practice competencies. As you review the competencies, reflect on your own strengths and challenges when working with adults across the lifespan.
By Day 3
Post a summary of your expectations of this course. Also, include a brief explanation of your strengths and challenges as they relate to nursing practice competencies when working with adults. Describe any career goals or objectives this course may help you accomplish in the Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) or Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (AGPCNP) role and explain why. Use your research to support your explanations by providing credible and scholarly sources.

Read a selection of your colleagues’ responses.

By Day 6
Respond to at least two of your colleagues on two different days by offering a suggestion or resources to help your colleagues in addressing their personal strengths or challenges, or their career goals. Use your research to support your suggestions. Provide at least 3 credible and current scholarly sources.

Note: For this Discussion, you are required to complete your initial post before you will be able to view and respond to your colleagues’ postings. Begin by clicking on the Post to Discussion Question link and then select Create Thread to complete your initial post. Remember, once you click Submit, you cannot delete or edit your own posts, and you cannot post anonymously. Please check your post carefully before clicking on Submit!

Submission and Grading Information
Grading Criteria
To access your rubric:

Week 1 Discussion Rubric

Post by Day 3 and Respond by Day 6
To Participate in this Discussion:

Week 1 Discussion

Assignment
Practicum Manual Acknowledgment
The Practicum Manual describes the structure and timing of the classroom-based and practicum experiences and the policies students must follow to be successful in the nurse practitioner (NP) specialties.

Field Experience: MSN Nurse Practitioner Practicum Manual
Click here and follow the instructions to confirm you have downloaded and read the entire MSN Nurse Practitioner Practicum Manual and will abide by the requirements described in order to successfully complete this program.

What’s Coming Up in Week 2?
Practicum – Upcoming Deadline
In the Nurse Practitioner programs of study (FNP, AGACNP, AGPCNP, and PMHNP) you are required to take several practicum courses. If you plan on taking a practicum course within the next two terms, you will need to submit your application via Meditrek .

For information on the practicum application process and deadlines, please visit the Field Experience: College of Nursing: Application Process – Graduate web page.

Please take the time to review the Appropriate Preceptors and Field Sites for your courses.

Please take the time to review the practicum manuals, FAQs, Webinars and any required forms on the Field Experience: College of Nursing: Student Resources and Manuals web page.

Field Experience: College of Nursing Quick Answers
Field Experience: MSN Nurse Practitioner Practicum Manual
Student Practicum Resources: NP Student Orientation

Photo Credit: [BrianAJackson]/[iStock / Getty Images Plus]/Getty Images

Next week, you will analyze an i-Human simulation case study about an adult patient with an integumentary condition and formulate a differential diagnosis, based on the patient’s information. Using the findings of your analysis, you will evaluate treatment options and then create an appropriate treatment plan for the patient.

Looking Ahead:
In this course and beginning in Week 2, you will be required to complete case study assignments using the web-based software i-Human. You should have received an email with your i-Human Patients login and password information. If you have not received this information, please contact the Course Instructor.

Ensure that you are able to log in to the software and review the i-Human Patients Case Player Student Manual as needed to familiarize yourself about how to navigate i-Human.

Week 2: Evaluation and Management of Integumentary Conditions
A key skill for an advanced practice nurse is gathering patient information that can be used to inform diagnosis and treatment of conditions. Physical examination of a patient is often initiated by simple visual observations of external characteristics, including body language, demeanor, and cognitive ability, as well as the skin, hair, and nails (integumentary system). This information can contribute to the overall evaluation of a patient and guide assessment and diagnosis.

For this week, you will analyze a simulated case study about an adult i-Human patient with an integumentary condition and formulate a differential diagnosis, based on the patient’s information. Using the findings of your analysis, you will evaluate treatment options and then create an appropriate treatment plan for the patient.

Learning Objectives
Students will:

Formulate differential diagnoses for adult patients with integumentary conditions
Analyze pattern recognition in adult patient diagnoses
Analyze the role of patient information in differential diagnosis
Evaluate pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic treatment options for adult patients
Create an appropriate treatment plan that includes health education and follow-up care
Learning Resources
Required Readings (click to expand/reduce)
Required Media (click to expand/reduce)
Assignment: i-Human Case Study: Evaluating and Managing Integumentary Conditions
This course will require you to complete a series of case studies using the i-Human software application. The i-Human Patients (IHP) Case Player enables you to interact with virtual patients for the purpose of learning patient-assessment and diagnostic-reasoning skills. With IHP, you will be able to independently interview, examine, diagnose, and treat virtual patients and receive expert feedback on your performance.

Photo Credit: RFBSIP – stock.adobe.com

The integumentary system is susceptible to a variety of diseases, conditions, and injuries, ranging from the bothersome but relatively innocuous bacterial or fungal infections that are categorized as disorders to skin cancer and severe burns, which can be life-threatening.

For this Case Study Assignment, you will examine your first case study and work with a patient with an integumentary condition. You will formulate a differential diagnosis, evaluate treatment options, and then create an appropriate treatment plan for the patient.

To prepare:

Review this week’s Learning Resources. Consider how to assess, diagnose, and treat patients with integumentary conditions.
Review the i-Human Patients Case Player Student Manual found in this week’s Learning Resources to familiarize yourself with how to use the i-Human software.
Access i-Human from this week’s Learning Resources and review this week’s i-Human case study Krista Hampton V5.1 PC PL. Based on the provided patient information, think about the health history you would need to collect from the patient.
Consider what physical exams and diagnostic tests would be most appropriate to gather more information about the patient’s condition.
Reflect on how the results would be used to make a diagnosis.
Identify three to five possible conditions that may be considered in a differential diagnosis for the patient.
Consider the patient’s diagnosis. Think about clinical guidelines that might support this diagnosis.
Develop a treatment plan for the patient that includes health promotion and patient education strategies for patients with integumentary conditions.
Assignment

As you interact with this week’s i-Human patient, complete the assigned case study. For guidance on using i-Human, refer to the i-Human Patients Case Player Student Manual in the Week 1 Learning Resources.

By Day 7
Complete your Assignment in i-Human.

Submission and Grading Information
To access your rubric:

Week 2 Assignment Rubric

What’s Coming Up in Week 3?
Week 3 Knowledge Check
Week 3 concludes Module 1, and you will complete a Knowledge Check assessment covering the Module 1 topics examined in Weeks 1–3. Plan your time to review accordingly.

Week 3: Evaluation and Management of HEENT Conditions
Last week, observing external characteristics of a patient was introduced as an important initial component of a physical examination. In addition to those observations, additional patient information can be learned by examining the head, eyes, ears, nose and throat, referred to as the HEENT system. Abnormal or disease manifestations may cause changes to one or more parts of the HEENT system, and understanding those manifestations is a critical skill for the advanced practice nurse.

For this week, you will not have a simulation case study however, it will be important for you to recognize that your continued observations and additional patient information are critical to your advanced nursing skills. This Week 3 concludes Module 1, and you will complete a Knowledge Check assessment covering the Module 1 topics examined in Weeks 1–3.

Learning Objectives
Students will:

Identify key terms, concepts, and principles related to the primary care of adults across the lifespan
Learning Resources
Required Readings (click to expand/reduce)
Required Media (click to expand/reduce)
Knowledge Check: Module 1: Advanced Nursing Practice Competencies, Integumentary, and HEENT Conditions
In this exercise, you will complete a 10- question Knowledge Check to gauge your understanding of this module’s content. Please note that this is a formative practice to help you better prepare for your Midterm and Final Exam as well as your Nurse Practitioner (NP) certification exam. The questions in this Knowledge Check are related to the topics from Weeks 1, 2, and 3 Topics include:

Nursing competencies
Billing and coding
Integumentary conditions
HEENT conditions
It is in your best interest to take your time, do your best, and answer each question to the best of your ability.

Photo Credit: [DirtyDog_Creative]/[Vetta]/Getty Images

By Day 7
Complete and submit your Knowledge Check.

Submission Information
Submit Your Knowledge Check by Day 7
To submit your Knowledge Check:

Week 3 Knowledge Check

What’s Coming Up in Module 2?

Photo Credit: [BrianAJackson]/[iStock / Getty Images Plus]/Getty Images

In Module 2, you will examine the evaluation and management of cardiovascular conditions in Week 4 and respiratory conditions in Week 5. You will consider how to assess, diagnose, and treat two i-Human patients—one presenting a cardiovascular condition and one presenting a respiratory condition.

Week 5 Knowledge Check
In Week 5, you will experience your next Knowledge Check which covers the Module 2 topics from Weeks 4 and 5. Refer to the Week 5 Knowledge Check Assignment for further details related to the topics covered. Plan your time accordingly.