title: Using specialized standardized patients to improve differential diagnoses.
abstract: A Specialized Standardized Patient (SSP) is a standardized patient who has advanced nursing education. This article describes an experience of introducing advanced practice registered nurses as SSPs into an advanced health assessment course. The article also discusses the simulated clinical experience and the desired course outcome that the student will be able to merge the patient history and physical exam findings to develop differential diagnoses.
authors.affiliation: Leslie Karns Payne is an assistant professor at Baylor University, Louise Herrington School of Nursing, Dallas, Tex.
authors.forename: Leslie Karns
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Payne
mesh_terms: D057179:Advanced Practice Nursing / Q000193:education*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004506:Education, Nursing / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008487:Medical History Taking; D009730:Nursing Assessment; D015402:Nursing Education Research; D015403:Nursing Evaluation Research; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D016544:Patient Simulation; D010808:Physical Examination / Q000451:nursing; D013338:Students, Nursing / Q000523:psychology