Advanced Assessment: Interpreting Findings and Formulating Differential Diagnoses Doody's Expert Review Review Questionnaire ISBN: 9780803613638 ISBN-10: 0803613636 Copyright: 2006 Edition: 1st Editors: Goolsby, Mary Jo, Grubbs, Laurie, Doody's Expert Review    Score: 74 Doody's Star Rating™ and Doody's Expert Review provide by Doody Enterprises, Inc. Reviewer: Carole Kenner,  DNS, MSN, BSN  (Northeastern University Bouve College of Health Sciences) Description This is an advanced health assessment book aimed at helping nurse practitioner students and nurse practitioners narrow down a diagnosis. It provides tips on how to address unusual case presentations. Purpose The purpose is to provide a quick reference for nurse practitioners and to serve as a text for nurse practitioner students who are studying health assessment and need help with assessment and obtaining a differential diagnosis. These worthy objectives are met. Audience The audience includes nurse practitioner students and nurse practitioners. The author is very credible. Features The book starts with an introduction of advanced health assessment and how this relates to formulating a differential diagnosis. The next section addresses application of the content using a systems approach. The last section focuses on vulnerable populations like the elderly, children, and pregnant women. In the systems section a typical approach to assessment is used: history, physical, order of examination, special considerations, differential diagnosis of chief complaint, signs and symptoms, and diagnostic tests. Illustrations are helpful, for example, palpation of lymph nodes and one of inflamed tonsils, but these would have been better in color like the ones of various skin conditions and the accompanying assessment techniques/maneuvers. Assessment There are several books that cover the same material. Rhoads's Advanced Health Assessment and Diagnostic Reasoning (Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins, 2005) uses the diagnostic reasoning framework to teach general health assessment and is closer to this book than are the following two. Dains et al., Advanced Health Assessment and Clinical Diagnosis in Primary Care, 2nd edition (Mosby, 2003), is aimed at application of the diagnostic reasoning framework, starting with the chief complaint and applying the diagnostic process. Carcio's Advanced Health Assessment of Women: Clinical Skills and Procedures (Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins, 1999), focuses on health assessment for women. In comparison, this book accomplishes its goals but falls short in illustrating the application of diagnostic reasoning so critical to today's practice setting. Review Questionnaire Range Question Score 1-10 Are the author's objectives met? 6 1-10 Rate the worthiness of those objectives. 6 1-5 Is this written at an appropriate level? 5 1-5 Is there significant duplication? (1=significant, 5=insignificant) 4 1-5 Are there significant omissions? (1=significant, 5=insignificant) 4 1-5 Rate the authority of the authors. 4 1-5 Are there sufficient illustrations? 5 1-5 Rate the pedagogic value of the illustrations. 4 1-5 Rate the print quality of the illustrations. 2 1-5 Are there sufficient references? 5 1-5 Rate the currency of the references. 4 1-5 Rate the pertinence of the references. 4 1-5 Rate the helpfulness of the index. 4 1-5 If important in this specialty, rate the physical appearance of the book N/A 1-10 Is this a worthwhile contribution to the field? 6 1-10 If this is a 2nd or later edition, is this new edition needed? N/A ©2010 Doody Enterprises, Inc.