Critical Thinking Question # 3
What is your working diagnosis and appropriate differential diagnoses (DDx) list (include three DDx)?
Critical Thinking Question # 4
What is your treatment plan for this patient including education, counseling, & health promotion/disease prevention?
Expert Solution Preview
Introduction:
As a medical professor, it is important to train students to think critically and develop skills necessary for diagnosis and treatment plans. In this context, let’s analyze a given scenario and answer critical thinking questions related to it.
Answer to Critical Thinking Question #3:
Based on the symptoms presented by the patient, my working diagnosis would be acute bronchitis. The differential diagnosis list includes:
1. Pneumonia
2. Asthma
3. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
Answer to Critical Thinking Question #4:
The treatment plan for this patient involves educating the patient on acute bronchitis, counseling and enhancing their self-management skills, and promoting health and disease prevention.
The patient must be educated about the causes of acute bronchitis, e.g., viruses, bacteria, smoke, and allergies that trigger it. The patient should be advised to quit smoking if they have the habit, and avoid exposure to environmental irritants.
Counseling can help the patient to cope with the symptoms of the disease, manage emotional stress, and avoid triggers that can exacerbate the condition.
Health promotion activities include maintaining good hygiene, increasing water intake, and engaging in regular physical activity that helps maintain a healthy lifestyle.
