title: Differential diagnosis in advanced nursing practice.
abstract: Differential diagnosis has become a key element of advanced nursing roles that are incorporating history taking and physical assessment into their remit of professional responsibilities. The aim of this article is to review the relevant definitions of different types of diagnoses, to describe the process of formulating a differential diagnosis including using clinical reasoning skills, and to use a case study as an example of differential diagnosis in advanced clinical practice.
authors.affiliation: Surrey and Sussex Strategic Health Authority, Horley, Surrey.
authors.forename: Heather
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Baid
mesh_terms: D015984:Causality; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003657:Decision Making; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D019545:Intuition; D007813:Laparotomy / Q000009:adverse effects; D008128:Logic; D016294:Models, Nursing; D009720:Nurse Clinicians / Q000458:organization & administration*; D009722:Nurse Practitioners / Q000458:organization & administration*; D024802:Nurse's Role; D009733:Nursing Diagnosis; D009736:Nursing Process / Q000458:organization & administration*; D010347:Patient Care Planning / Q000458:organization & administration; D018802:Patient-Centered Care; D010687:Philosophy, Nursing; D010808:Physical Examination / Q000451:nursing; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D017009:Professional Autonomy; D012131:Respiratory Insufficiency / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D006113:United Kingdom