Course
NR514 Health Assessment
Assignment Overview
Conduct a focused exam for Esther Park, a Digital Standardized Patient who presents with abdominal pain. Interview the patient, assess the related body systems, and then transfer care to your preceptor. You will earn points on the Digital Clinical Experience (DCE) score during Shadow Health activities for how well you identify and respond to opportunities to emphasize and educate your patients. Please note: there will be no rounding up of DCE score.
Assignment Instructions
- Access Shadow Health. You will complete all assessment assignments using the Shadow Health virtual reality simulation platform.
- Complete the Shadow Health Digital Clinical Experience Focused Abdominal Exam and post-activity survey.
- After completing the assignment, download your Lab Pass from Shadow Health. You will need this to show completion of the assignment.
How to Approach This Assignment
Log into Shadow Health and review the objectives of the focused abdominal exam before starting.
Begin with a comprehensive patient interview using open-ended questions and follow-up inquiries.
Assess the characteristics of abdominal pain (location, onset, duration, intensity, quality, aggravating/relieving factors, associated symptoms).
Explore related gastrointestinal, urinary, and systemic symptoms (nausea, vomiting, changes in bowel habits, fever).
Perform all required physical assessment steps within the simulation, including inspection, auscultation, palpation, and percussion.
Identify abnormal findings and respond appropriately using clinical reasoning.
Provide patient education when relevant (dietary advice, symptom monitoring, follow-up care).
Ensure clear and professional transfer of care to your preceptor.
Complete the post-activity survey and download the Lab Pass for submission.
Key Concepts to Focus On
Focused abdominal assessment techniques
Characteristics and localization of abdominal pain
GI and urinary system evaluation
Recognition of common gastrointestinal disorders (appendicitis, gastritis, urinary tract infection, etc.)
Therapeutic communication and patient education
Accurate documentation and DCE scoring considerations
Structured handoff to the preceptor
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Skipping important history or symptom details
Missing key assessment components (inspection, auscultation, palpation, percussion)
Overlooking associated systemic or GI symptoms
Ignoring abnormal cues in the simulation
Providing incomplete patient education
Disorganized or incomplete handoff to the preceptor
Forgetting to download and submit the Lab Pass
Assuming DCE scores will be rounded up
Need a Structured Sample Solution?
A professionally formatted Focused Exam: Abdominal Pain Sample Solution (PDF) is available for learning and reference purposes. This guide demonstrates a structured patient interview, focused assessment, and proper transfer of care to maximize DCE scoring opportunities.
Download Full Sample Solution (PDF)