Refining Diagnostic Reasoning and Avoiding Cognitive Errors in Acutely Ill Patients

Activity Summary

Required reading for all learners: Implicit Bias impacts patient outcomes

Developing the differential diagnosis is challenging for the novice to expert advance practice nurses. The benefits and risk of specific diagnostic reasoning skill such as heuristics, pattern recognition, or algorithms in establishing a patient’s diagnosis will be explored. Case studies will be used to to challenge the participant to develop a differential diagnosis and implement a plan of care. As each case is concluded a cognitive analysis is performed to assess for cognitive errors.

Objectives

Analyze the skill set required by a practitioner to make a judgment based on a patient’s presentation on the diagnosis and management.
Examine the elements, needed to develop a differential diagnosis for a patient based upon their symptomology.
Identify the benefits and risks of applying specific diagnostic reasoning skills in establishing a patient’s diagnosis.

Continuing Education Disclosure Statement

Successful Completion

Learners must attend/view/read the entire activity and complete the associated evaluation to be awarded the contact hours or CERP. No partial credit will be awarded.

Disclosure

This activity has been reviewed by the Nurse Planner. It has been determined that the material presented here shows no bias. No conflicts of interest have been identified for any individual with the ability to influence the content of this activity. Accreditation refers to recognition of continuing education only and does not imply AACN or ANCC approval or endorsement of any commercial products discussed or displayed in conjunction with this educational activity.

Accreditation

The American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's (ANCC's) Commission on Accreditation, ANCC Provider Number 0012. AACN has been approved as a provider of continuing education in nursing by the California State Board of Nursing (CBRN), California Provider number CEP 1036. This activity is approved for 2.12 contact hours.

AACN programming meets the standards for most states that require mandatory continuing education contact hours for license and/or certification renewal. AACN recommends consulting with your state board of nursing or credentialing organization before submitting CE to fulfill continuing education requirements.