DNP 619 Module 1 Student-Led Musculoskeletal Case Discussion Example

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

This DNP 619 Module 1 sample is a student-led discussion board in Principles of Pediatric Acute Care II, a course in the pediatric acute care track of ASU's Doctor of Nursing Practice. ASU DNP 619 has each student moderate one board: post a case, assign roles, answer every contribution and write a final summary with an evidence-based, systems-based plan. The composite moderator, a pediatric intensive care nurse in Phoenix, posts the case of a 13-year-old with obesity who has had weeks of knee pain and now cannot bear weight after a fall. Her opening post, role assignments, short replies to classmates and final summary walk from history to an unstable slipped capital femoral epiphysis, its urgency and a plan across systems.

CourseDNP 619 Principles of Pediatric Acute Care II
ModuleModule 1
Paper typeModerated case discussion with final summary
LengthAbout 623 words
FormatDiscussion post with APA 7 citations
SchoolArizona State University
ProgramDNP
UpdatedOctober 2026

Free sample paper for DNP 619 Module 1

1

Student-Led Discussion Board 1: The Limping Thirteen-Year-Old

Knee Pain That Was Really the Hip: Moderating a Case of Unstable Slipped Capital Femoral Epiphysis

Moderator's Opening Post: The Case

Welcome to our board for Week 4. Here is a composite case from the emergency department.

M.R. is a 13-year-old boy with a BMI above the 99th percentile who comes in by ambulance after slipping on a wet floor at school. He cannot stand or bear any weight on his left leg. His mother says he has complained of left knee pain for about six weeks, and his primary care clinician thought it was a sprain from basketball. Vital signs are normal for age. He holds his left leg externally rotated and slightly shortened.

Roles for this week:

Megan: history, including the six weeks before today.

Jordan: focused physical examination.

Priya: problem list, starting with health maintenance.

Luis: differential diagnosis with three or four possibilities.

Everyone: contribute to an evidence-based, systems-based plan.

Summary of Contributions and Moderator Replies

History (Megan): She added that the knee pain was dull and worse after activity, with no night pain, fever or weight loss, and no endocrine history. I replied that knee pain in a heavy adolescent should always prompt a hip examination, because hip pathology often refers pain to the knee through the obturator nerve.

Exam (Jordan): He described pain with any hip motion, inability to bear weight even with crutches, obligate external rotation when the hip is flexed, and a normal knee examination with no effusion. I noted that a normal knee exam with knee pain is itself a clue.

Problem list (Priya): Health maintenance: obesity, sports physical due; acute: inability to bear weight, left hip pain; psychosocial: missed school, possible weight-related teasing she raised. I agreed that the problem list should begin with health maintenance, as our guidelines ask.

Differential (Luis): Unstable slipped capital femoral epiphysis, femoral neck fracture, septic arthritis of the hip, and Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease. I asked which features ranked them; he answered that afebrile presentation, weeks of prodromal pain and his age and weight made a slipped epiphysis most likely.

Moderator's Final Summary

Assessment: Bilateral hip radiographs, anteroposterior and frog-leg lateral views, showed posterior and medial displacement of the left femoral head on the neck, confirming slipped capital femoral epiphysis. Because he cannot bear weight even with crutches, it is classified as unstable, which carries a high risk of osteonecrosis (Cazzulino et al., 2021). The six weeks of knee pain likely represented a stable slip that progressed.

Why it matters: Obesity is a strong risk factor. In a nationwide cohort of nearly 600,000 children, the risk of a slipped epiphysis rose with each increase in BMI z score at school entry (Perry et al., 2018). Delayed diagnosis is common when pain is referred to the knee.

Systems-based plan:

Musculoskeletal: Strict non-weight bearing, no attempt at reduction in the emergency department, and urgent orthopedic consultation for surgical stabilization; management options for unstable slips include in situ fixation and reduction techniques, each with tradeoffs (Cazzulino et al., 2021). Discuss monitoring of the contralateral hip, since the other side may slip too.

Pain: Intravenous analgesia titrated to comfort; avoid positioning that forces internal rotation.

Endocrine and nutrition, considered once the hip is stable: Consider screening for hypothyroidism or other endocrine causes if he were younger or atypical; plan a weight management referral after recovery.

Psychosocial: Address school absence, mobility at home, and his feelings about his weight with sensitivity.

Education: Explain to the family why knee pain can come from the hip, and teach warning signs of osteonecrosis, such as persistent groin pain after surgery.

Natural history matters for counseling: without timely treatment, slips can progress and lead to early arthritis (Mathew & Larson, 2019).

Thank you all for excellent contributions this week.

References

Cazzulino, A., Wu, W., Allahabadi, S., & Swarup, I. (2021). Diagnosis and management of unstable slipped capital femoral epiphysis: A critical analysis review. JBJS Reviews, 9(7), e20.00268. https://doi.org/10.2106/JBJS.RVW.20.00268

Mathew, S. E., & Larson, A. N. (2019). Natural history of slipped capital femoral epiphysis. Journal of Pediatric Orthopaedics, 39(Suppl. 1), S23-S27. https://doi.org/10.1097/BPO.0000000000001369

Perry, D. C., Metcalfe, D., Lane, S., & Turner, S. (2018). Childhood obesity and slipped capital femoral epiphysis. Pediatrics, 142(5), e20181067. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2018-1067

What the DNP 619 Module 1 instructions ask for

The posted syllabus describes three student-led discussion boards, each worth 10 points, with every student leading one. The moderator posts a case from a clinical encounter or a topic from the week's material and assigns roles by Sunday; others add history, physical exam, problem list, differential diagnosis, assessment and an evidence-based, systems-based plan through the week; the moderator replies to all comments and posts a final summary by Saturday. Posts follow APA with evidence-based references. Board 1 falls in Week 4, alongside musculoskeletal disorders. Formats such as VoiceThread need faculty approval. Many moderators choose a case from their own clinical rotation, changing details to protect privacy, because familiar cases make richer teaching. Plan the summary's structure before posting.

Inside the DNP 619 Module 1 example

The sample shows the moderator's three jobs: posting a clear composite case with role assignments, replying to each contributor with a teaching point, and writing a final summary. Contributions are summarized by role, so readers can follow how the case developed. The summary states the confirmed diagnosis, its classification and why it matters, supported by evidence, then organizes the plan by system. A closing thanks the group. Three peer-reviewed sources support the assessment and plan. Teaching points appear in the moderator's replies, which shows faculty that the moderator guided learning during the week rather than only at the end. The plan is organized by body system. Classmates are named only by first name, and the case is composite, which protects privacy on a shared board.

DNP 619 Module 1 rubric: what earns full marks

Student-led boards are generally graded on case quality, clear role assignments, timely and substantive moderator replies, a final summary that integrates contributions, an evidence-based, systems-based plan, and APA references. Faculty look for moderators who teach through their replies rather than simply thanking classmates. Summaries that resolve the differential with specific findings show clinical reasoning. Meeting the Sunday, Friday and Saturday deadlines also affects the grade. Moderators who post on time and reply within a day or two keep the discussion moving, and timeliness is part of the grade. Accurate imaging terms add credibility.

DNP 619 Module 1 help from the desk

The most common weakness is a case with too little information for classmates to work with. Include vital signs, a timeline and one or two clues. Another is a final summary that repeats posts without resolving the case. Assign roles clearly and on time. Reply to every contributor. Organize the plan by system. Moderators who want a second opinion on their case can send it to the desk. Draft the final summary as the week goes, adding each contribution as it arrives, so Saturday's deadline is easy to meet. Cite at least one peer-reviewed source in the summary. Give classmates a role that matches their strengths when you can.

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.

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DNP 619 Module 1 questions, answered

Where can I find a free DNP 619 Module 1 sample paper?

The student-led discussion sample is shown above in full: a moderated case of unstable slipped capital femoral epiphysis with roles, moderator replies, a final summary, a systems-based plan and references.

How do DNP 619 student-led discussion boards work?

A student moderator posts a case and assigns roles, classmates add history, exam, problem list, differential and plan, and the moderator replies and writes a final summary.

How many points is a DNP 619 student-led board worth?

Each of the three boards is worth 10 points, and each student leads one.

Why can hip problems cause knee pain in children?

Hip pathology can refer pain to the knee through shared nerve pathways, so a hip exam is essential in children with knee pain.

What is an unstable slipped capital femoral epiphysis?

A slip in which the child cannot bear weight even with crutches, carrying a high risk of osteonecrosis.