This document provides guidelines for a student assignment on investigating and reporting on a health condition. Students must select a disease process to research, gaining approval from faculty. They will then write a 2-3 page paper covering: an introduction to the disease and its epidemiology; etiology and risk factors; pathophysiological processes; clinical manifestations and complications; diagnostics used; and interviewing someone living with the condition. The paper will be graded based on inclusion of required criteria in each section, as well as APA style and organization. Completing the assignment will help students meet several course outcomes related to explaining disease processes and their clinical implications.

1. Purpose
This project is an in-depth investigation of a health condition. It
will allow for the expansion of knowledge and the ability to
generalize larger concepts to a variety of health conditions.
Course outcomes: This assignment enables the student to meet
the following course outcomes.
1. Explain the pathophysiologic processes of select health
conditions. (PO 1)
2. Predict clinical manifestations and complications of select
disease processes. (PO 1, 8)
3. Correlate lifestyle, environmental, and other influences with
changes in levels of wellness. (PO 1, 7)
Due date: Your faculty member will inform you when this
assignment is due. The Late Assignment Policy applies to this
assignment.
Total points possible: 100 points
Preparing the assignment
Follow these guidelines when completing this assignment.
Speak with your faculty member if you have questions.
1) Select a disease process that interests you.
2) Obtain approval of the selected disease process from the
course faculty.
a. Faculty will share how to submit your topic choice for
approval.
3) Write a 2-3-page paper (excluding title and reference pages).
4) Include the following sections about the selected disease
process (detailed criteria listed below and in the Grading
Rubric).
a. Introduction of disease - 10 points/10%
· One paragraph (approximately 200 words)

2. · Includes disease description
· Includes epidemiology of disease
b. Etiology and risk factors - 20 points/20%
· Common causes of the disease or condition
· Risk factors for the disease or condition
· Impact of age
· Prevalence based on gender,
· Influence of environment
· Genetic basis of disease
· Lifestyle influences
· All information supported by current literature
c. Pathophysiological processes - 20 points/20%
· Describes changes occurring at the cellular, tissue, and/or
organ level that contribute to the disease process.
· Describes adaptation of the cells and body in response to the
disease.
· Relates disease processes to manifested signs and symptoms.
d. Clinical manifestations and complications - 20 points/20%
· Describes the physical signs and symptoms that are important
in considering the presence of the disease.
· Identifies signs that contribute to diagnosis of the condition
· Identifies symptoms that contribute to diagnosis of the
condition.
· Identifies complications of the disease.
· Discusses the implications to the patient when complications
are left untreated.
e. Diagnostics - 10 points/10%
· Includes list of common laboratory and diagnostic tests used
to determine the presence of the disease.
NR283 Pathophysiology
RUA: Pathophysiological Processes Paper Guidelines
NR283 Pathophysiology
RUA: Pathophysiological Processes Paper Guidelines
© 2021 Chamberlain University. All Rights Reserved

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AFT 1
© 2021 Chamberlain University. All Rights Reserved
NR283_Pathopysiological_Processes_Paper_Guidelines_V5_SE
P21 1
· Discusses the significance of test findings in relation to the
disease process.
f. Interview - 10 points/10%
· Once the student has become familiar with the disorder, it is
their responsibility to locate an individual living with the
disease process to interview (interviewee). It is recommended
that you find an individual first, then complete research and
writing on the topic prior to performing the interview.
· The interviewee must be at least 18 years old and able to
answer questions by themselves
· The interviewee must currently have the chronic
disease/disorder. If an interviewee has been diagnosed with a
disease/disorder but has NO manifestations or complications
related to the disorder they DO NOT qualify for the assignment.
· Acute infections/diseases DO NOT qualify (pneumonia,
urinary tract infection, flu, colds).
· The interviewee cannot be a patient from the clinical setting or
a patient from your work environment (hospitals, doctor’s
office, LTC facility, home health, etc.)
· The interviewee may be a relative, friend, colleague, or
stranger.
· Please use the individual’s own words in relation to their
experience with the disease/disorder.
·
NOTE: This assignment is for educational purposes
only. Students are NOT to provide any medical/nursing advice
or education to interviewees. Refer interviewee questions to
their physician.
· Interview Questions

4. · What is the age of the individual being interviewed? What is
the relationship of the individual to you? How long have they
had the disorder?
· What clinical manifestations of the disorder does the
individual experience? How does it compare to what you
discovered in your resources?
· What complications of the disorder does the individual
experience? How does this compare to what you discovered in
your resources?
· What other medical conditions/disorders has the individual
been diagnosed with? Do their other medical conditions have
any effect on the chosen disorder?
· How does the disease affect the individual’s daily
living/activities? (repeat hospitalizations, has to take a lot of
meds, any activity restrictions, a lot of appointments?)
· How does the disease/disorder affect the individual’s outlook
on life? (Feel like a burden to family, do they have good family
support, feel hopeless, optimistic, good coping mechanisms?)
· What did you learn from interviewing the individual?
g. APA Style and Organization - 10 points/10%
· References are submitted with assignment.
· Uses current APA format and is free of errors.
· Grammar and mechanics are free of errors.
· Paper is 2-3 pages, excluding title and reference pages.
· At least two (2) scholarly, primary sources from the last 5
years, excluding the textbook, are provided.
For writing assistance, visit the Writing Center.
Please note that your instructor may provide you with additional
assessments in any form to determine that you fully understand
the concepts learned.
Grading Rubric

5. Criteria are met when the student’s application of knowledge
within the paper demonstrates achievement of the outcomes for
this assignment.
Assignment Section and Required Criteria
(Points possible/% of total points available)
Highest Level of Performance
High Level of Performance
Satisfactory Level of Performance
Unsatisfactory Level of Performance
Section Not Present
Introduction of Disease
(10 points/10%)
10 points
9 points
8 points
4 points
0 points
Required criteria
1. One (approximately 200 words) paragraph
2. Includes disease description
3. Includes epidemiology of disease
Includes 3 requirements for section.
Includes 2 requirements for section.
Includes no less than 1 requirement for section.
Present, yet includes no required criteria.
No requirements for this section presented.
Etiology and Risk Factors
(20 points/20%)
20 points
18 points
16 points
7 points
0 points
Required criteria
1. Common causes of the disease or condition
2. Risk factors for the disease or condition

6. 3. Impact of age
4. Prevalence based on gender
5. Influence of environment
6. Genetic basis of disease
7. Lifestyle influences
8. All information supported by current literature
Includes 8 requirements for section.
Includes 7 requirements for section.
Includes 6 requirements for section.
Includes 5 or fewer requirements for section.
No requirements for this section presented.
Pathophysiological Processes
(20 points/20%)
20 points
18 points
16 points
7 points
0 points
Required criteria
1. Describes changes occurring at the cellular, tissue, and/or
organ level that contribute to the disease process.
2. Describes adaptation of the cells and body in response to the
disease.
3. Relates disease processes to manifested signs and symptoms.
Includes 3 requirements for section.
Includes 2 requirements for section.
Includes no less than 1 requirements for section.
Section present yet includes no required criteria.
No requirements for this section presented.
NR283 Pathophysiology
RUA: Pathophysiological Processes Paper Guidelines

7. © 2021 Chamberlain University. All Rights Reserved
NR283_Pathopysiological_Processes_Paper_Guidelines_V5_SE
P21 1
Clinical Manifestations & Complications
(20 points/20%)
20 points
18 points
16 points
7 points
0 points
Required criteria
1. Describes the physical signs and symptoms that are important
in considering the presence of the disease.
2. Identifies signs that contribute to diagnosis of the condition
3. Identifies symptoms that contribute to diagnosis of the
condition.
4. Identifies complications of the disease.
5. Discusses the implications to the patient when complications
are left untreated.
Includes 4 requirements for section.
Includes 3 requirements for section.
Includes 2 requirements for section.
Includes 1 or fewer requirements for section.
No requirements for this section presented.
Diagnostics
(10 points/10%)
10 points
4 points
0 points
Required criteria
1. Includes list of common laboratory and diagnostic tests used
to determine the presence of the disease.
2. Discusses the significance of test findings in relation to the

8. disease process.
Includes 2 requirements for section.
Includes 1 requirement for section.
No requirements for this section presented.
Individual Interview
(10 points/10%)
10 points
9 points
8 points
4 points
0 points
Required criteria
1. What is the age of the individual being interviewed? What is
the relationship of the individual to you? How long have they
had the disorder?
2. What clinical manifestations of the disorder does the
individual experience? How does it compare to what you
discovered in your resources?
3. What complications of the disorder does the individual
experience? How does this compare to what you discovered in
your resources?
4. What other medical conditions/disorders has the individual
been diagnosed with? Do their other medical conditions have
any effect on the chosen disorder?
5. How does the disease affect the individual’s daily
living/activities? (repeat hospitalizations, must take a lot of
meds, any activity restrictions, a lot of appointments?)
6. How does the disease/disorder affect the individual’s outlook
on life? (Feel like a burden to family, do they have good family
support, feel hopeless, optimistic, good coping mechanisms?)
7. What did you learn from interviewing the individual?
Includes answers to 7 question sets.
Includes answers to 6 question sets.
Includes answers to 5 question sets.
Includes answers to 1-4 question sets.
No question sets answered or section not present.

9. APA Style and Organization
(10 points/10%)
10 points
9 points
8 points
4 points
0 points
Required criteria
1. References are submitted with assignment.
2. Uses current APA format and is free of errors.
3. Grammar and mechanics are free of errors.
4. Paper is 2-3 pages, excluding title and reference pages
5. At least two (2) scholarly, primary sources from the last 5
years, excluding the textbook, are provided
Includes 5 requirements for section.
Includes 4 requirements for section.
Includes 3 requirements for section.
Includes 1-2 requirements for section.
No requirements for this section presented.
Total Points Possible = 100 points
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