Tuesday, November 6, 2012

Differences Between Assessment Testing & Diagnosis

Saving a life may depend on the assessment and lab test.


Healthcare providers examine and assess their patients to determine what kind of support to offer in both emergency and non-emergency situations. Assessment and lab testing lead nurses and doctors to a diagnosis. Healthcare professionals conduct additional testing to confirm the diagnosis is correct. Assessment, testing, and diagnosis differ in being different parts of an evaluation process, but the parts are related.


Conduct the Assessment


The healthcare provider assesses the patient.


The healthcare provider conducts an assessment that provides clues to the disease or injury affecting the patient. The assessment begins at first sight. The patient's appearance, ability to communicate, and ability to reason provide information about the extent, location, and type of health injury. The assessment provides the information necessary to make a diagnosis.


The Assessment Determines the Test


The healthcare analyzes results of lab tests.


The doctor makes an initial diagnosis that names the disease, condition, or injury while the nurse makes a diagnosis that identifies the patient's response (signs and symptoms) to the condition. Healthcare professionals rely on diagnosis and testing to correctly identify the health problem, and they determine whether the diagnosis is correct by conducting laboratory tests.


Make a Diagnosis


Medical personnel analyze test results.


Some tests provide the diagnosis in the results. Other times, diagnostic tests are used to plan care or to confirm a pre-diagnosis. Lab testing after the diagnosis is often necessary to verify that the diagnosis is correct, or lab tests may be used to verify the accuracy of other tests. "False positives" are lab tests that provide incorrect results. Medical personnel analyze test results to avoid errors.


Choosing the Right Treatment


Healthcare provider must solve a medical mystery,


After personnel correctly identify the ailment, they can efficiently treat it. The test results ultimately lead to a final diagnosis. The doctors and nurses continue testing, verifying diagnoses, and assessing the client until they are satisfied the diagnosis is correct.







Tags: diagnosis correct, test results, analyze test, analyze test results, Assessment testing