Introduction
Differential diagnosis, or establishing a list of suspected diseases, is critical because it directs our search for these diseases in a patient during diagnosis. It is unlikely that a disease will be identified if it is not included in the differential diagnosis. A critical factor is to include unusual and common illnesses while making a differential diagnosis. Diagnosis, in principle, enhances the use of categorization tools, increases clarity and communication, gives a treatment trajectory, improves comprehension of a person’s prognosis, and may be beneficial for preventative interventions in some situations. As a result, it is critical to examine why it is crucial for PMHNP beginners’ practice.
Differential Diagnosis for PMHNP
Diagnosis is one of many essential components in the clinical decision-making process for healthcare practitioners, and it is distinguished by the distinction of conflicting structures for a definite comprehension of the underlying problem. The diagnostic process includes evaluating the patient’s history, physical examination, and study of laboratory results or diagnostic imaging to identify or determine the etiology of the disease (Peri et al., 2017). If it is a condition, the following descriptive title of that finding should be implied to the testing methods (Goodman et al., 2017). While differential diagnosis is a skill set that all healthcare practitioners must possess, the notion of a diagnosis is universally applicable regardless of one’s background. A diagnosis enhances the use of categorization tools, increases clarity and communication, gives a treatment trajectory, improves comprehension of a person’s prognosis, and may be beneficial for preventative interventions (Goodman et al., 2017). It also necessitates a more in-depth understanding and higher-order thinking about the function of diagnosis in patient treatment. Consequently, it can be logically concluded that such an important skill set for a PMHNP novice is necessary, albeit its importance for the diagnosis field in general.
Moreover, not using such a practice can lead to misleading conclusions and false diagnoses. Models of decision-making advocate a balance between an analytical approach based on test measurements and an intuitive approach based on the evaluator’s experience. When evaluating diagnostic test findings, clinicians have the everyday task of avoiding traps. Whether clinical examination or imaging, every test has advantages and disadvantages (Solomon, 2019). The analytical process can be derailed by flaws in assessing the correctness of a test, a lack of grasp of probability, and poor-quality data. Verification or confirmation biases, in which a favored diagnosis is discovered, and the clinician stops the diagnostic procedure too soon when the scheme appears to match, can override the intuitive process (Solomon, 2019). Finally, diagnostic test findings prompt doctors to judge additional tests and treatments. Higher-order thinking requires a physician to analyze beyond test data and consider misclassification costs and how the choice may affect downstream healthcare usage. Thus, clinical reasoning is critical for connecting test results to an acceptable management strategy in a comprehensive care pathway.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the importance of differential diagnosis for PMHNP novices results from this analysis. Furthermore, it is essential for the whole healthcare system, as experienced medicine workers’ intuitive skills can be overridden when not implying such a method. One can drastically improve healthcare quality by using clinical utility and metrics, conducting various tests, and preferring verification and confirmation over a personal view of a patient’s case. Though, it is a subject of discussion whether there are other reasons which support the necessity of differential diagnosis in PMHNP for the healthcare system in general.
References
Goodman, C. C., Heick, J., & Lazaro, R. T. (2017). Differential diagnosis for physical therapists-E-Book. Elsevier Health Sciences.
Peri, A., Grohé, C., Berardi, R., & Runkle, I. (2017). SIADH: Differential diagnosis and clinical management. Endocrine, 55(1), 311-319. Web.
Solomon, A. J. (2019). Diagnosis, differential diagnosis, and misdiagnosis of multiple sclerosis. CONTINUUM: Lifelong Learning in Neurology, 25(3), 611-635.