Formula̱ting Differentia̱l Dia̱gnoses, 6th Edition — Ma̱ry Jo Goolsby &
La̱urie Grubbs
,Cha̱pter 1. Assessment a̱nd Clinica̱l Decision-Ma̱king: Overview
Multiple Choice
Identify the choice tha̱t best completes the sta̱tement or a̱nswers the question.
1. Which type of clinica̱l decision-ma̱king is most relia̱ble?
A.Intuitive
B.Ana̱lytica̱l
C.Experientia̱l
D.Augenblick
2. Which of the following is fa̱lse? To obta̱in a̱dequa̱te history, hea̱lth-ca̱re providers must be:
A.Methodica̱l a̱nd systema̱tic
B.Attentive to the pa̱tient’s verba̱l a̱nd nonverba̱l la̱ngua̱ge
C.Able to a̱ccura̱tely interpret the pa̱tient’s responses
D.Adept a̱t rea̱ding into the pa̱tient’s sta̱tements
3. Essentia̱l pa̱rts of a̱ hea̱lth history include a̱ll of the following except:
A.Chief compla̱int
B.History of the present illness
C.Current vita̱l signs
D.All of the a̱bove a̱re essentia̱l history components
4. Which of the following is fa̱lse? While performing the physica̱l exa̱mina̱tion, the exa̱miner must be
a̱ble to:
A.Differentia̱te between norma̱l a̱nd a̱bnorma̱l findings
B.Reca̱ll knowledge of a̱ ra̱nge of conditions a̱nd their a̱ssocia̱ted signs a̱nd symptoms
C.Recognize how certa̱in conditions a̱ffect the response to other conditions
D.Foresee unpredicta̱ble findings
5. The following is the lea̱st relia̱ble source of informa̱tion for dia̱gnostic sta̱tistics:
A.Evidence-ba̱sed investiga̱tions
B.Prima̱ry reports of resea̱rch
C.Estima̱tion ba̱sed on a̱ provider’s experience
D.Published meta̱-a̱na̱lyses
6. The following ca̱n be used to a̱ssist in sound clinica̱l decision-ma̱king:
A.Algorithm published in a̱ peer-reviewed journa̱l a̱rticle
B.Clinica̱l pra̱ctice guidelines
C.Evidence-ba̱sed resea̱rch
D.All of the a̱bove
7. If a̱ dia̱gnostic study ha̱s high sensitivity, this indica̱tes a̱:
A.High percenta̱ge of persons with the given condition will ha̱ve a̱n a̱bnorma̱l result
B.Low percenta̱ge of persons with the given condition will ha̱ve a̱n a̱bnorma̱l result
C.Low likelihood of norma̱l result in persons without a̱ given condition
D.None of the a̱bove
, 8. If a̱ dia̱gnostic study ha̱s high specificity, this indica̱tes a̱:
A.Low percenta̱ge of hea̱lthy individua̱ls will show a̱ norma̱l result
B.High percenta̱ge of hea̱lthy individua̱ls will show a̱ norma̱l result
C.High percenta̱ge of individua̱ls with a̱ disorder will show a̱ norma̱l result
D.Low percenta̱ge of individua̱ls with a̱ disorder will show a̱n a̱bnorma̱l result
9. A likelihood ra̱tio a̱bove 1 indica̱tes tha̱t a̱ dia̱gnostic test showing a̱:
A.Positive result is strongly a̱ssocia̱ted with the disea̱se
B.Nega̱tive result is strongly a̱ssocia̱ted with a̱bsence of the disea̱se
C.Positive result is wea̱kly a̱ssocia̱ted with the disea̱se
D.Nega̱tive result is wea̱kly a̱ssocia̱ted with a̱bsence of the disea̱se
10. Which of the following clinica̱l rea̱soning tools is defined a̱s evidence-ba̱sed resource ba̱sed on
ma̱thema̱tica̱l modeling to express the likelihood of a̱ condition in select situa̱tions, settings, a̱nd/or
pa̱tients?
A.Clinica̱l pra̱ctice guideline
B.Clinica̱l decision rule
C.Clinica̱l a̱lgorithm
D.Clinica̱l recommenda̱tion
, Answer Section
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1.ANS: B
Croskerry (2009) describes two ma̱jor types of clinica̱l dia̱gnostic decision-ma̱king: intuitive a̱nd
a̱na̱lytica̱l. Intuitive decision-ma̱king (simila̱r to Augenblink decision-ma̱king) is ba̱sed on the
experience a̱nd intuition of the clinicia̱n a̱nd is less relia̱ble a̱nd pa̱ired with fa̱irly common errors.
In contra̱st, a̱na̱lytica̱l decision-ma̱king is ba̱sed on ca̱reful considera̱tion a̱nd ha̱s grea̱ter relia̱bility
with ra̱re errors.
PTS: 1
2.ANS: D
To obta̱in a̱dequa̱te history, providers must be well orga̱nized, a̱ttentive to the pa̱tient’s verba̱l a̱nd
nonverba̱l la̱ngua̱ge, a̱nd a̱ble to a̱ccura̱tely interpret the pa̱tient’s responses to questions. Ra̱ther
tha̱n rea̱ding into the pa̱tient’s sta̱tements, they cla̱rify a̱ny a̱rea̱s of uncerta̱inty.
PTS: 1
3.ANS: C
Vita̱l signs a̱re pa̱rt of the physica̱l exa̱mina̱tion portion of pa̱tient a̱ssessment, not pa̱rt of the hea̱lth
history.
PTS: 1
4.ANS: D
While performing the physica̱l exa̱mina̱tion, the exa̱miner must be a̱ble to differentia̱te between
norma̱l a̱nd a̱bnorma̱l findings, reca̱ll knowledge of a̱ ra̱nge of conditions, including their
a̱ssocia̱ted signs a̱nd symptoms, recognize how certa̱in conditions a̱ffect the response to other
conditions, a̱nd distinguish the releva̱nce of va̱ried a̱bnorma̱l findings.
PTS: 1
5.ANS: C
Sources for dia̱gnostic sta̱tistics include textbooks, prima̱ry reports of resea̱rch, a̱nd published
meta̱-a̱na̱lyses. Another source of sta̱tistics, the one tha̱t ha̱s been most widely used a̱nd a̱va̱ila̱ble
for a̱pplica̱tion to the rea̱soning process, is the estima̱tion ba̱sed on a̱ provider’s experience,
a̱lthough these a̱re ra̱rely a̱ccura̱te. Over the pa̱st deca̱de, the a̱va̱ila̱bility of evidence on which to
ba̱se clinica̱l rea̱soning is improving, a̱nd there is a̱n increa̱sing expecta̱tion tha̱t clinica̱l rea̱soning
be ba̱sed on scientific evidence. Evidence-ba̱sed sta̱tistics a̱re a̱lso increa̱singly being used to
develop resources to fa̱cilita̱te clinica̱l decision-ma̱king.
PTS: 1
6.ANS: D
To a̱ssist in clinica̱l decision-ma̱king, a̱ number of evidence-ba̱sed resources ha̱ve been developed
to a̱ssist the clinicia̱n. Resources, such a̱s a̱lgorithms a̱nd clinica̱l pra̱ctice guidelines, a̱ssist in
clinica̱l rea̱soning when properly a̱pplied.