DNP 605 Module 1 Adult Comprehensive Health History Example

Reviewed by Ingrid Vasterling, MSN, RN Arizona State University Updated October 2026

This DNP 605 Module 1 sample is the adult comprehensive health history completed for the first immersion in Advanced Health Assessment Across Lifespan, part of ASU's Doctor of Nursing Practice. ASU DNP 605 starts with the comprehensive history and has students take turns interviewing classmates on a fillable template and giving feedback. In this composite, a classmate plays a 46-year-old warehouse supervisor with three months of fatigue. The history moves from the chief concern and a full history of present illness through past medical, surgical, medication, allergy, family, social, sexual and preventive history to a complete review of systems, all subjective. A short section records the peer feedback and what the interviewer would do differently.

CourseDNP 605 Advanced Health Assessment Across Lifespan
ModuleModule 1
Paper typeComprehensive health history, subjective data
LengthAbout 677 words, 5 pages
FormatAPA 7 student paper
SchoolArizona State University
ProgramDNP
UpdatedOctober 2026

Free sample paper for DNP 605 Module 1

1

Tired for Three Months: An Adult Comprehensive Health History From the First Immersion

Student Name

Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation, Arizona State University

DNP 605: Advanced Health Assessment Across Lifespan

Instructor Name

Month Day, Year

What this page is doingThe title uses the chief concern in the patient's words, which is how a history begins, and names the setting of the practice.
2

Tired for Three Months: An Adult Comprehensive Health History From the First Immersion

Identifying Information and Source

Patient: J.M., 46-year-old man, warehouse supervisor. Source: self, reliable. Visit: comprehensive new patient history (peer practice).

Chief Concern

"I've been tired for about three months."

History of Present Illness

Fatigue began gradually about three months ago. He describes it as feeling worn out by mid-afternoon and needing to sit down during shifts, which he never did before. It is present daily, worse after work and not relieved by weekend rest. He sleeps about seven hours but wakes unrefreshed; his wife says he snores heavily and at times stops breathing. He has gained about 15 pounds over the past year. No fever, sweats at night, unplanned weight loss, chest pain or breathlessness at rest, but becomes winded climbing two flights of stairs. He has more thirst than usual and gets up twice a night to urinate. Mood is "a little down" because of the fatigue; he denies hopelessness. He has tried energy drinks with brief relief. He rates the effect on his life 6 of 10 and is worried because his father had diabetes.

Past Medical History

Hypertension diagnosed at 40, treated with lisinopril. No hospitalizations. Childhood illnesses: none significant. Immunizations: reports tetanus within ten years; unsure about hepatitis B; received influenza vaccine last year.

Past Surgical History

Right knee arthroscopy at 32.

Medications

Lisinopril 20 mg daily. Ibuprofen 400 mg, taken a few times weekly when his back hurts. Energy drinks two a day. No supplements.

Allergies

Penicillin, rash as a child. No food or latex allergies.

Family History

Father: type 2 diabetes, heart attack at 58, living at 74. Mother: hypothyroidism, hypertension, living at 71. Brother, 43: obesity, sleep apnea on CPAP. Sister, 49: healthy. No family history of colon cancer, sudden death or thyroid cancer.

Social History

Married, two teenage children. Works rotating shifts as a warehouse supervisor. Completed high school and an associate degree. Never smoked; drinks three or four beers on weekends; denies drug use. Eats fast food four or five times a week; little exercise beyond work. Has employer insurance. Feels safe at home. Hobbies: watching baseball, fishing.

Sexual History

Monogamous with his wife; one partner in the past year. Notes decreased libido over recent months. No history of sexually transmitted infections.

Health Maintenance

Last physical three years ago. Never had colon cancer screening. Last dental visit two years ago. No eye exam in five years.

Review of Systems

General: fatigue, weight gain; no fever or night sweats. Skin: darker patches on the back of the neck noticed by his wife. HEENT: occasional morning headaches; no vision change. Neck: no lumps. Respiratory: snoring, witnessed pauses; no cough. Cardiovascular: exertional breathlessness on stairs; no chest pain, palpitations or leg swelling. Gastrointestinal: occasional heartburn; no bleeding or change in bowels. Genitourinary: nocturia twice; no dysuria or hematuria. Musculoskeletal: chronic low back pain. Neurological: denies weakness or numbness. Psychiatric: low mood related to fatigue; no suicidal thoughts. Endocrine: increased thirst; no heat or cold intolerance. Hematologic: no easy bruising.

Peer Feedback and Reflection

My partner noted that I moved too quickly from the chief concern to closed questions and almost missed the snoring, which surfaced only when I asked about sleep quality. She suggested starting the HPI with an open prompt, "Tell me about the tiredness," and using the OLDCARTS mnemonic only after the patient's story. She also pointed out that I should ask about shift work's effect on sleep. Comprehensive histories organized this way are the foundation of advanced assessment (Bickley et al., 2021), and several findings here, including thirst, nocturia, weight gain, snoring and darkened neck skin, will guide the physical examination and testing. His thirst, night urination and weight gain, with diabetes in his father, call for glucose testing, which national guidance recommends for adults aged 35 to 70 with overweight (US Preventive Services Task Force, 2021). Loud snoring with witnessed pauses and morning headaches point toward obstructive sleep apnea, which guidelines evaluate with a sleep study rather than questionnaires alone (Kapur et al., 2017).

References

Bickley, L. S., Szilagyi, P. G., Hoffman, R. M., & Soriano, R. P. (2021). Bates' guide to physical examination and history taking (13th ed.). Wolters Kluwer.

Kapur, V. K., Auckley, D. H., Chowdhuri, S., Kuhlmann, D. C., Mehra, R., Ramar, K., & Harrod, C. G. (2017). Clinical practice guideline for diagnostic testing for adult obstructive sleep apnea: An American Academy of Sleep Medicine clinical practice guideline. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, 13(3), 479-504. https://doi.org/10.5664/jcsm.6506

US Preventive Services Task Force. (2021). Screening for prediabetes and type 2 diabetes: US Preventive Services Task Force recommendation statement. JAMA, 326(8), 736-743. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2021.12531

What the DNP 605 Module 1 instructions ask for

The posted syllabus begins with the adult comprehensive health history, general survey and documentation in Week 1, along with growth and development and mental status across the lifespan. Immersion 1 is a peer review activity: students take turns conducting health histories with classmates using a fillable template, offer constructive feedback, and submit the completed template for participation points. Immersion activities together count for 5% of the grade. Expect the template to follow standard history headings. Practice the full sequence aloud before the immersion so you can focus on listening. Because peers role-play patients, agree in advance on a scenario with enough detail to fill every section, and switch roles so each person practices interviewing. Bring a printed copy of the template so you can take notes while listening.

How the DNP 605 Module 1 example is put together

The sample follows the standard order of a comprehensive history, with headings matching a typical template. The history of present illness is written as a narrative that covers onset, character, timing, severity, associated symptoms, relieving factors and the patient's concerns. Each section records only subjective information, as a history should. The review of systems is complete and includes pertinent negatives. A final section records the peer's feedback and connects key findings to the next steps of assessment. Negatives that matter are documented with the same care as positives, because they shape the differential diagnosis that the examination will test. Each section starts on its own heading.

DNP 605 Module 1 rubric: what earns full marks

Immersion templates are usually graded on completion and participation, but faculty also use them to see whether students can document a complete, organized and subjective history. A strong history includes a detailed HPI, all required sections, pertinent positives and negatives, and professional language. Constructive feedback given and received is part of the activity. Recording what you learned from your partner shows reflective practice, which is valued throughout the course. Histories that close with a short list of findings to examine show that the student connects subjective data to the next step of assessment. Accurate medical terminology also counts. Feedback recorded honestly earns credit.

DNP 605 Module 1 help from the desk

The most common error is mixing objective findings, such as vital signs or exam results, into the history. Keep the history subjective. Another is a thin HPI that lists symptoms without timing or context. Use open questions first, then a mnemonic. Do not skip sexual history or substance use. Practice with a partner before the immersion. If you would like help organizing a comprehensive health history, share the details with the desk. Practice transitions between sections, such as moving from social history to sexual history, so the interview feels natural rather than abrupt. Ask about every medication, including over-the-counter drugs and supplements. Close the interview by asking whether anything important was missed.

Write yours, or have the desk draft it

This paper is an original model document written by our desk, not a submitted student paper and not an official Arizona State University document. Read it for the moves, then write your own to the instructions in your classroom. If you want one built to your exact prompt and rubric, the first custom sample is free and arrives in 24 to 48 hours.

More DNP 605 and DNP sample papers

DNP 605 Module 1 questions, answered

Where can I find a free DNP 605 Module 1 sample paper?

The adult comprehensive health history is above in full: a composite 46-year-old with fatigue, documented from chief concern and HPI through full past, family, social and sexual history and review of systems, with peer feedback.

What is DNP 605 Immersion 1?

A peer practice session in which students take turns conducting health histories with classmates on a fillable template and give constructive feedback.

Should a health history include physical exam findings?

No. The history records subjective information from the patient; exam findings belong in the objective section.

What is OLDCARTS?

Each letter cues one feature of a symptom, from onset and location through duration, character, triggers and relief, radiation and timing to severity.

What goes in a review of systems?

Questions about symptoms in each body system, with pertinent positives and negatives documented.