D117 trains nurse practitioner students to collect, analyze and document patient data systematically, the skill every later clinical course depends on.
WGU's MSN Family Nurse Practitioner program guide says the course develops skills for collecting and analyzing subjective and objective data.
Through simulation and clinical experiences, students use data to determine health status, predict risks and identify health-promoting activities across the lifespan, then synthesize findings to support differential diagnosis and explain them clearly to patients and providers.
Students often know how to examine; the challenge is clinical reasoning and concise documentation that shows it.
Course at a Glance
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| University | Western Governors University (WGU) |
| Program | MSN, Family Nurse Practitioner (BSN to MSN) |
| Code | D117 |
| Competency units | 4, third term in the program guide we checked |
| Learning modes | Simulation and clinical experiences, per WGU's description |
| Typical work | Health histories, examination documentation, case reasoning (check your course page) |
What D117 Covers
| Competency area (summarized) | Systems |
|---|---|
| Comprehensive health assessment | Full history and examination using subjective and objective data |
| Head and neck, neurological, psychiatric | HEENT, lymphatic, central nervous and psychiatric systems |
| Cardiopulmonary | Pulmonary, cardiovascular and peripheral vascular systems |
| Abdominal | Gastrointestinal and urinary systems |
| Reproductive | Female and male reproductive systems |
| Musculoskeletal and skin | Musculoskeletal, integumentary and peripheral nervous systems |
Each system competency asks for a holistic approach that documents normal and abnormal findings and incorporates lifespan considerations.
Key Concepts Explained
Subjective Versus Objective Data
Subjective data are what the patient reports: symptoms, history, concerns. Objective data are what you observe and measure: vital signs, examination findings, test results. Good documentation keeps them separate.
The Focused History
Mnemonics such as OLDCARTS (onset, location, duration, character, aggravating factors, relieving factors, timing, severity) keep a symptom history complete.
Documenting a Focused Exam
Example: adult with cough. Subjective: "Cough for 5 days, productive of yellow sputum, low-grade fevers, no shortness of breath, non-smoker." Objective: T 38.1 C, RR 18, SpO2 97% on room air. Lungs: crackles at the right base, no wheezes. Assessment: findings raise concern for community-acquired pneumonia; differentials include acute bronchitis and viral upper respiratory infection. Each statement is specific, measurable and supports the reasoning.
Differential Diagnosis
A differential lists possible diagnoses ranked by likelihood and seriousness. For each one, note which findings support or argue against it, and what further data would help decide.
Lifespan Considerations
Every system competency mentions lifespan considerations. Normal findings change with age, so documentation should reflect them.
- Infants and children: developmental context, growth charts and age-appropriate examination order.
- Adolescents: confidential psychosocial history and pubertal development.
- Pregnancy: expected physiological changes such as higher heart rate and blood volume.
- Older adults: functional status, falls risk, cognition and polypharmacy.
Noting what is normal for the patient's age prevents both over-reading benign findings and missing important ones.
Typical Tasks and How to Approach Them
| Task type | What it tests | How to approach it |
|---|---|---|
| Comprehensive history | Completeness and organization | Follow a standard order: chief complaint, HPI, PMH, medications, family and social history, review of systems |
| Examination documentation | Precise, objective terms | Describe findings, not interpretations, in the objective section |
| Case reasoning | Differential diagnosis | Link each differential to specific findings |
| Simulation or clinical experience | Applied skill | Prepare the systems likely to be assessed in advance |
Explaining Findings to Patients and Providers
The course description ends with a communication goal: describing pertinent findings and the rationale behind the diagnostic process clearly. The audience changes the wording, not the facts.
| Audience | What they need |
|---|---|
| Patient and family | Plain language, what it may mean, next steps |
| Another provider | Concise findings, differentials and the question you are asking |
Example: To the patient: "I hear some crackling in the lower right lung, which can happen with a chest infection, so a chest X-ray will help us decide on treatment." To a colleague: "Five days of productive cough, fever 38.1 C, right basal crackles, SpO2 97%; concern for community-acquired pneumonia, X-ray ordered."
Where Students Get Stuck
- Vague terms. "Lungs abnormal" says nothing; describe sounds, location and timing.
- Mixing subjective and objective. Patient reports belong in the subjective section.
- Short differentials. Include the serious "can't miss" diagnosis even when unlikely.
- Normal findings left out. Pertinent negatives matter as much as positives.
Study Tips for D117
- Practice a head-to-toe sequence until the order is automatic.
- Write one practice note per system using correct terminology.
- Pair each system with its common abnormal findings and their causes.
- Review D115 pathophysiology to explain why findings occur.
How We Help with D117
Send your case, template, rubric and draft documentation. A nursing tutor can review your write-up, explain terminology and reasoning, or prepare a model note on a sample case. For broader support, see our MSN assignment help guide.
GradeEssays is independent of Western Governors University. Patient data and clinical findings must be your own; we never invent clinical data or complete simulations or clinical work for you. Every order is written from scratch, includes free revisions within the scope of your original request and is refunded in full if it is late.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Comprehensive health assessment and holistic, system-by-system examination of all major body systems, with documentation of normal and abnormal findings across the lifespan.
WGU's description says students develop skills through simulation and clinical experiences. Check your course page for current requirements.
The FNP program guide we checked lists it at 4 competency units in the third term.
A finding that is absent but relevant to the differential, such as "no shortness of breath" in a patient with cough.
No. D028 is a separate advanced health assessment course in other WGU MSN tracks. Check your degree plan.
No. We review your own documentation and provide model examples on sample cases.