Disease Process/Pathophysiology/Risk Factors
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Recognizing Cues
WGU Nursing Concept Map – DIRECTIONS
Analyzing Cues/Concerns
Supporting
Concerning
Prioritizing Hypotheses
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2.
3.
Take ActionsGenerated Solutions
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2.
3.
4.
Evaluations Outcomes
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4.
Identify relevant and important information from different sources (medical records, signs and symptoms, and vital signs).
What does the patient look like? What are the patient’s complaints? Does the patient have anything in their medical history that would indicate this could be a problem? What are the patient’s vital signs?
What are the patient’s cues that support the diagnosis? List three
Organize and connect the recognized cues to the client’s clinical presentation.
Which of these supporting cues is most concerning? List two
What do you want to happen if the patient drinks fluids? What do you want to happen if you give the patient antibiotics?
You must have four solutions. Identify expected solutions and use the hypotheses to define a set of interventions for the expected solutions.
Solutions for this section
This section is for you to evaluate your desired solution within the clinical shift. You should have four evaluations: one for each desired solution.
Example: Despite giving the patient acetaminophen for a fever, the patient continued to have a low-grade fever (100.1 degrees) for the entire clinical shift.
What was the admitting diagnosis?
Go to your book, look up the disease process, and write down the pathophysiology of the disease process.
What are the risk factors for this disease process? What causes this disease process?
Disease process
Pathophysiology
Risk Factors
Evaluate and prioritize hypotheses. Utilize words such as, urgency, likelihood, risk, difficulty, time, and constraints.
You want to write what happen if…. Forecasting or predicting response.
List three hypotheses.
List one action for each solution. List the most important action of each solution.
Based on the solutions identified, what interventions (solutions) would you implement to address what is happening to the patient?
Struggling with where to start this assignment? Follow this guide to tackle your assignment easily!
Step-by-Step Guide to Completing the WGU Nursing Concept Map
Step 1: Identify the Admitting Diagnosis
Begin by clearly stating the admitting diagnosis from the patient’s medical record.
Then:
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Look up the disease in your nursing textbook
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Identify the disease process
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Write a concise explanation of the pathophysiology
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List risk factors and common causes
Tutor tip: Use textbook language, but rewrite it in your own words.
Step 2: Complete the Disease Process Section
Under Disease Process/Pathophysiology/Risk Factors, include:
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Brief overview of the disease
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How the disease affects body systems
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What causes the disease
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Key risk factors (age, lifestyle, comorbidities, etc.)
This section provides the foundation for the rest of your concept map.
Step 3: Recognize Clinical Cues
Use information from:
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Medical records
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Patient complaints
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Physical appearance
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Vital signs
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Past medical history
Answer questions such as:
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What does the patient look like?
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What symptoms are present?
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What vital signs are abnormal?
Tutor tip: Only include relevant data that supports the diagnosis.
Step 4: Analyze and Organize the Cues
In the Analyzing Cues/Concerns section:
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Connect signs and symptoms to the disease process
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Explain why these cues are occurring
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Identify three cues that support the diagnosis
Then separate them into:
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Supporting cues
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Concerning cues
List two cues that are the most concerning and explain why.
Step 5: Prioritize Hypotheses
List three hypotheses based on the patient’s condition.
When prioritizing, consider:
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Urgency
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Likelihood
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Risk to the patient
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Time constraints
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Difficulty of intervention
Use forecasting language such as:
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“If this condition worsens…”
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“If left untreated…”
Tutor tip: Hypotheses should reflect potential patient outcomes.
Step 6: Generate Solutions (Interventions)
You must identify four solutions. These should be:
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Measurable
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Patient-focused
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Linked to your hypotheses
Examples include:
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Administering fluids
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Giving antibiotics
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Monitoring vital signs
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Providing patient education
For each solution, list one key nursing action.
Step 7: Take Action
Under Take Actions/Generated Solutions, clearly state:
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What intervention you will perform
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Why it addresses the problem
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What you expect to happen as a result
Tutor tip: Focus on nursing-scope interventions.
Step 8: Evaluate Outcomes
Provide four evaluations, one for each solution.
Describe:
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Whether the intervention worked
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How the patient responded
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Any remaining concerns
Example:
Despite administering acetaminophen, the patient continued to have a low-grade fever throughout the shift.
This section demonstrates clinical judgment and reflection.
Step 9: Review for Clarity and Alignment
Before submission:
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Ensure all sections are completed
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Confirm hypotheses align with cues
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Check that evaluations match expected outcomes
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Maintain professional nursing language
Recommended Nursing Resources
You can use these sources for research and support:
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ATI Nursing Fundamentals
https://www.atitesting.com -
Lewis’s Medical-Surgical Nursing (Elsevier)
https://www.elsevier.com -
NANDA International Nursing Diagnoses
https://www.nanda.org -
CDC – Disease Processes & Risk Factors
https://www.cdc.gov -
MedlinePlus (NIH)
https://medlineplus.gov
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