NURS 8908 01: Advanced Health Assessment

NURS 8908 - Advanced Health Assessment

Fall 2026 Syllabus, Section 01, CRN 42019,

Credit hours: 3

Course Meeting Times

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Clock Hours

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Instructor

Tara Seligman

Email: tkseligman@ysu.edu

Public Instructor Information

Professor: Tara Seligman, DNP, CRNA 
Instructor Office Location: Virtual via email
Instructor Office Phone: (724) 712-7777

Course Description

8908. Advanced Health Assessment. This course explores advanced health assessment utilizing an extensive health history and physical exam. The course focuses on developing refined health history taking, psychological assessment, and physical assessment skills across the lifespan. Emphasis is placed on detailed health history assessment, differentiation, interpretation, and documentation of normal and abnormal assessment findings. Prereq.: Acceptance and Enrollment in the DNP Nurse Anesthesia Program. 3 s.h.

Course Readings

Group Title Author ISBN
Required Physical Examination & Health Assessment -8th Edition Carolyn Jarvis 9780323510806

Additional Texts

Apex Anesthesia. https://www.apexanesthesia.com/

Hadzic's Textbook of Regional Anesthesia and Acute Pain Management- 2nd Edition: Hadzic, A.: McGraw Hill Education.  ISBN:978-0071717595

Morgan & Mikhail’s Clinical Anesthesiology – 6th Edition; Butterworth, John; Mackey, David C.; & Wasnick, John; McGraw Hill Education.  ISBN: 9781259834424, Lange Series (2018)

Nurse Anesthesia – 6th Edition; Nagelhout, John J. & Elisha, Sass; Elsevier, Health Sciences. ISBN: 9780323443920 (July 2017) 

Chestnut’s Obstetric Anesthesia Principles and Practice – 5th Edition; Chestnut, David H.; Wong, Cynthia A.; Tsen, Lawrence C.; Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier, Inc. ISBN: 9781455748662 (2014)

Anesthesia for Infants and Children – 9th Edition; Davis, Peter J.; Cladis, Franklyn P.; Elsevier, Inc. ISBN: 9780323341257 (2017)

Clinical Anesthesia – 8th Edition; Barash, Paul G.; Cullen, Bruce F.; Stoelting, Robert                        K.; & Cahalan, Michael; Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.  ISBN: 9781496337009 (May 2017)

The course readings are subject to change in the event of extenuating circumstances, research developments, current events, and/or to ensure better learning.  

Additional Course Materials

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Course Learning Outcomes/Objectives/Goals

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How to Succeed in This Course

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Attendance Expectations

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Late Work Submission Policy

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Additional Course Expectations

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Artificial Intelligence Policy Statement

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Assignments/Assessments

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Grading and Grading Scale

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University Policies

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Schedule of Topics and Assignments

Week of Reading(s) Proposed Topic Due/To Prepare for Class
8/24 Course Introduction Pick Paper Topic via discussion board post
8/31 Jarvis Chapters 3, 4, 8 History and Interviewing Process
Assessment Techniques
Health History Interview document due 9/5/26 by 11:59pm
9/7 Jarvis Chapters 10, 11, 13 Vital Signs and Pain Assessment
Hair, Skin, Nails
Hair, Skin, and Nails document due 9/12/26 by 11:59pm
9/14 Jarvis Chapter 14 Head, Neck, Face, and Regional Lymphatics Head, Neck, Face, and Regional Lymphatics document due 9/19/2026 by 11:59pm
9/21 Covers weeks 2-4 Quiz 1 Quiz due 9/25/26 by 11:59pm
9/28 Jarvis Chapter 1 Understanding differential diagnosis Differential diagnostic document due 10/3/26 by 11:59pm
10/5 Jarvis Chapter 18, 19 Breasts, Axillae, and Regional Lymphatics
Thorax and Lungs
Breasts, Axillae, Thorax and Lungs document due 10/10/2026 by 11:59pm
10/12 Jarvis Chapter 20 Heart and Neck vessels Heart findings document due 10/17/2026 by 11:59pm
10/19 Covers weeks 6-8 Quiz 2 Quiz due 10/23/2026 by 11:59pm
Surgical Complications paper due 10/25/2026 by 11:59pm
10/26 Jarvis Chapters 21, 22 Peripheral Vascular System
Abdomen
Peripheral Vascular and Abdomen document due 10/31/2026 by 11:59pm
11/2 Jarvis Chapters 5, 24 Mental Status Assessment
Neurological
Mental status and Neurological document due 11/7/2026 by 11:59pm
11/9 Jarvis Chapter 23 Musculoskeletal System Musculoskeletal document due 11/14/2026 by 11:59pm
11/16 Covers weeks 10-12 Quiz 3 Quiz due 11/20/2026 by 11:59pm
11/23 No online material Thanksgiving
11/30 Jarvis Chapter 28 Complete Health Assessment Complete Head-Toe Physical Assessment document
12/7 Complete Head-Toe Physical Assessment document due 12/11/26 by 4:59pm

The course schedule, policies, procedures, and assignments in this course are subject to change in the event of extenuating circumstances, by mutual agreement, and/or to ensure better learning.