Module 4: Musculoskeletal, Neurologic, and Mental Health Conditions

Week 9: Evaluation and Management of Musculoskeletal Conditions- iHuman Mabel Johnson V5 PC

In clinical settings, patients often present with musculoskeletal conditions such as chronic back pain. In recent years, there has been a dramatic increase in the acceptance and use of prescription opioids to help patients manage chronic, non-cancer pain, such as back pain or osteoarthritis, despite serious risks and the lack of evidence about their long-term effectiveness (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2017). Of all drugs prescribed, opioids are one of the most common, with more than 168 million prescriptions prescribed in 2018 in the United States and prescribing rates varying widely across different states and counties (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2020b). This prevalence of prescribing narcotics has led to controversy among patients, providers, pharmacies, and lawmakers. Due to the short- and long-term effects of narcotic drugs, the controversy spans from overuse of narcotics to non-medical use of narcotics. For advanced practice nurses, it is essential to carefully observe and watch for signs of drug abuse during patient evaluations. Because not all musculoskeletal conditions require narcotics, a thorough patient evaluation will help to ensure the development of an appropriate treatment plan with patient safety in mind.

For this week, you will analyze an i-Human simulation case study about an adult patient with a musculoskeletal condition. Based on the patient’s information, you will formulate a differential diagnosis, evaluate treatment options, and create an appropriate treatment plan for the patient.

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Learning Objectives

Students will:

• Formulate differential diagnoses for adult patients with musculoskeletal 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 

Assignment: i-Human Case Study: Evaluating and Managing Musculoskeletal Conditions-iHuman Mabel Johnson V5 PC

Patients frequently present with complaints of pain, such as chronic back pain. They often seek medical care with the intent of receiving drugs to manage the pain. Typically, for this type of pain, narcotic drugs are often prescribed. This can pose challenges for you as the advanced practice nurse prescribing the drugs. While there is a process for evaluating back pain, it can be difficult to assess the intensity of a patient’s pain since pain is a subjective experience. Only the person experiencing the pain truly knows whether there is a need for drug treatments.

For this Case Study Assignment, you will analyze an i-Human simulation case study about an adult patient with a musculoskeletal condition. Based on the patient’s information, you will formulate a differential diagnosis, evaluate treatment options, and 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 musculoskeletal conditions. 
• Access i-Human from this week’s Learning Resources and review this week’s i-Human case study. 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 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 musculoskeletal 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 Graduate Programs Help link within the i-Human platform.

By Day 7

Complete your Assignment in i-Human.

Submission and Grading Information

Sample