title: Diagnostic testing: the search for real evidence.
abstract: A cornerstone in the quest for evidence is the use of diagnostic tests to determine the underlying issue for any symptoms seen in a patient. Clearly, diagnosis is not the final outcome in any patient scenario, but rather the beginning. The purpose of diagnostic testing is to provide evidence that will guide the health care provider in decision-making that will lead to achieving positive patient outcomes. This article provides a process by which a diagnostic test can be evaluated within the parameters of a patient condition. Through a thorough understanding of the test, the critical care nurse can be more effective in educating the patient, preparing the patient, and anticipating postprocedure nursing interventions for the patient undergoing diagnostic testing.
authors.affiliation: Vanderbilt University Medical Center, 314 Godchaux Hall, 461 21st Avenue South, Nashville, TN 37240, USA. steve.krau@vanderbilt.edu
authors.forename: Stephen D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Krau
mesh_terms: D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D003422:Critical Care / Q000379:methods*; D019091:Critical Pathways; D003955:Diagnostic Tests, Routine / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods* / Q000451:nursing* / Q000592:standards; D055317:Evidence-Based Practice / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D007258:Informed Consent; D024802:Nurse's Role; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity