Clinical Reasoning Case Study Examples

Evolving Case Using the Clinical Reasoning Cycle The clinical reasoning process is used to gather information from a patient in a systematic way, obtaining pertinent information from the patient and applying that to the scientific basis of a disease or illness process, and implementing a plan based on evidence in research that will provide an effective outcome. This paper will introduce the clinical reasoning process, go over the key points from the case study that was presented as an example, reflect on the major points learned from using the clinical reasoning process in this case study and set for a personal development plan for improving skills in the clinical reasoning process.
Clinical Reasoning The clinical reasoning process is defined

The results are given as well. A CBC, liver panel, renal panel, UA, chest xray, screening mammogram, colonoscopy, TSH, T4, and FTI are ordered. The results were negative other than the TSH, which was suppressed and the T4 and FTI that were elevated. This is when the problem could be identified as hyperthyroidism. A goal can then be established and action can be taken to implement a treatment plan and then evaluate the outcome. An important consideration at this point is whether or not to order a test. The threshold approach to medical decision making requires the provider to be able to estimate the threshold probability at which on test will be chosen over the other (Goldman & Schafer,

If the provider wears blinders and assumes the diagnosis is correct without performing a thorough physical exam it would be easy to miss the real problem. I have a seen this a few times in my clinical experiences as well, where I wondered if the problem that was diagnosed was something else because the physical exam was almost nonexistent. There is some relevant information in the physical exam that we were given in the example, but it seems that we had to cast a wider net with the diagnostic testing to come up with the diagnosis of hyperthyroidism. I think this case study makes a great case for a thorough history and physical exam with a problem as vague as weight loss.
Personal Development Plan My first plan is to work on my history taking skills. My goal is to demonstrate the ability to ask the right questions in order to illicit responses that will yield information helpful to establishing a diagnosis. I will be working on using open ended questions that help to expand on the problem being presented. It is difficult to put a timeline on this goal since I believe this will evolve and steadily improve as I gain more experience. My second plan is to improve my physical assessment skills. My goal is to demonstrate the ability to correctly assess and evaluate the information gained in a physical exam. This includes assessing the correct systems