Assessment: MSN 5300 – Health Assessment and Nursing Care Planning

Assessment Task Brief: MSN 5300 – Health Assessment and Nursing Care Planning

Course: MSN 5300 – Health Assessment Program: Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) – Family Nurse Practitioner Track Institution: Miami Regional University (MRU) School of Nursing and Health Sciences Academic Year: 2025-2026 Assessment Type: Individual Written Assignment – Case Study Analysis and Nursing Care Plan Weighting: 40% of final course grade Word Limit: 2,500 words (excluding appendices, references, and tables) Submission Due Date: Friday, March 14, 2026, by 11:59 PM EST via the MRU Canvas Learning Management System Submission Format: Microsoft Word (.docx) or PDF; double-spaced, 12-point Times New Roman font, 1-inch margins; APA 7th edition formatting required

Learning Outcomes Assessed

This assignment aligns with the following course learning outcomes (CLOs):

• CLO 1: Apply comprehensive health assessment techniques to diverse patient populations across the lifespan.
• CLO 3: Develop evidence-based nursing care plans that integrate pathophysiological, cultural, and ethical considerations.
• CLO 5: Evaluate the effectiveness of nursing interventions in promoting patient safety and health outcomes. These outcomes support MRU’s End-of-Program Student Learning Outcomes (EPSLOs), particularly in integrating nursing sciences for quality care delivery (EPSLO 1) and applying practice guidelines for improved health outcomes (EPSLO 4).

Task Description

In this assignment, you will analyze a provided clinical case study of a middle-aged adult patient diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) and comorbid hypertension, presenting for a routine health assessment in a primary care setting. The case study (available on Canvas under “Module 4 Resources”) describes the patient’s history, current symptoms (e.g., fatigue, elevated A1C levels, foot numbness), vital signs, lab results, and social determinants of health (e.g., limited access to healthy foods, low health literacy).

Your task is to:

1. Conduct a Comprehensive Health Assessment (800-1,000 words):
   • Perform a head-to-toe subjective and objective assessment based on the case details, incorporating Gordon’s Functional Health Patterns or a similar framework. Identify actual and potential health risks, including cultural and psychosocial factors.
   • Discuss relevant diagnostic tests (e.g., HbA1c, lipid panel, foot exam) and interpret findings in relation to T2DM pathophysiology.
2. Develop a Nursing Care Plan (1,000-1,200 words):
   • Formulate 3-4 priority nursing diagnoses using the PES format (Problem, Etiology, Signs/Symptoms) from NANDA-I (2024-2026 edition).
   • For each diagnosis, propose SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) goals, evidence-based interventions (e.g., patient education on glycemic control, referrals to diabetes self-management programs), and rationale supported by current guidelines (e.g., ADA Standards of Care 2025).
   • Include interprofessional collaboration strategies (e.g., dietitian consultation) and evaluation criteria for outcomes.
3. Critical Reflection and Recommendations (300-500 words):
   • Reflect on ethical considerations (e.g., patient autonomy in medication adherence) and barriers to care (e.g., socioeconomic factors).
   • Recommend strategies for long-term disease management and prevention of complications (e.g., diabetic neuropathy), drawing on recent research.

Support your analysis with at least 8 credible sources, including peer-reviewed journals (minimum 5) published 2019-2025. Use tables for the care plan (e.g., one table per diagnosis) to enhance clarity. Appendices may include assessment tools or genograms if relevant.

Referencing and Academic Integrity

• All sources must be cited in APA 7th edition style.
• Plagiarism will result in a zero grade and referral to the MRU Academic Integrity Committee. Use Turnitin for self-check prior to submission.
• Late submissions incur a 10% deduction per day, up to 5 days; after which, a zero grade is assigned. Extensions require documentation of extenuating circumstances submitted 48 hours in advance.

Marking Criteria (Rubric)

Support Resources:

• Consult the MRU Writing Center for APA workshops (schedule via Canvas).
• Review sample care plans in the course textbook: Health Assessment for Nursing Practice (7th ed., 2023).
• Office hours: Contact Dr. [Your Name], Course Instructor, via email or Zoom (Tuesdays 2-4 PM).

This assignment prepares you for real-world FNP practice by emphasizing holistic, patient-centered care. Successful completion demonstrates readiness for advanced clinical reasoning. If you have questions, post in the Canvas discussion forum or email the instructor.

Peer-Reviewed References (APA Format)

These references align with the assignment’s focus on health assessment, evidence-based care planning, and interventions for T2DM, drawn from reputable sources like PubMed and Google Scholar (published 2019-2025):

Alotaibi, A. A., Almutairi, M. A., Alonazi, W. B., & Alshahrani, M. S. (2024). The influence of nurse-led interventions on diseases management among patients with diabetes mellitus: A literature review. Healthcare, 12(3), 325. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare12030325

Grunberger, G., Sherr, J., Allende, M., Blevins, T., Bode, B., Handelsman, Y., Lajara, R., Larson, P., McIver, T., Oluwadare, B., Roberts, V. L., & Umpierrez, G. E. (2023). American Association of Clinical Endocrinology clinical practice guideline: Developing a diabetes mellitus comprehensive care plan—2022 update. Endocrine Practice, 29(1), 11-33. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eprac.2022.09.001

Mohamad Nor, N. H., Salleh, M. J., & Zakaria, Z. (2024). Types of nursing intervention on improving quality of life among patients with diabetes mellitus: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Healthcare, 12(5), 545. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare12050545

Wang, Y., Li, X., Wang, Y., Wang, F., Zhang, S., & Xu, Y. (2022). The nursing effect of individualized management on patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and hypertension: A retrospective cohort study. Frontiers in Endocrinology, 13, Article 846419. https://doi.org/10.3389/fendo.2022.846419

Zheng, Y., Ley, S. H., & Hu, F. B. (2019). Global aetiology and epidemiology of type 2 diabetes mellitus and its complications. Nature Reviews Endocrinology, 14(2), 88-98. https://doi.org/10.1038/nrendo.2017.151 (Note: Included as foundational epidemiology for assessment context, bridging to 2025 updates).