G1 Responding to symptoms Flashcards
What is a Symptom?
what a patient tells you
What is a sign?
what you see
What is responding to a symptom?
differentiating problems based on signs & symptoms
What is managing minor ailments?
managing conditions that do not require action by another HCP
What is self care?
how patients can help themselves
What is the minor ailment scheme?
condition which can be managed in pharmacy, can supply medication free of charge on NHS
What are the 5 stages/ principles of responding to symptoms (RTS)?
1) recognising and interpreting the condition
2) determining the goal of treatment
3) recommending a treatment
4) provision of advice
5) quality assurance and audit
What does WWHAM stand for?
- who is the patient?
- what are the symptoms?
- how long?
- actions taken?
- medicines?
What do you have to consider for “Who is the patient”?
1) is the person present
2) gender (pregnancy, breastfeeding), age (elderly/children)
3) general health/ social factors (do they look ill?)
What do you have to consider for “What are the symptoms”?
1) get patient to describe them
- start with open question
- give patient time to talk
- clarify nature of symptoms
2) includes aggravating and relieving factors and checking for red flag symptoms
What do you have to consider for “How long”?
1) when did the symptom start
2) what the person was doing
3) how did they start
4) are they always there
5) is it a recurrence of previous occasion
What do you have to consider for “Action taken”?
1) what actions have they taken
2) have they taken any meds
3) what was outcome of the actions or medicines
4) have they seen HCP about this or previously
What do you have to consider for “Medicines?”
1) medicines for this episode of symptoms
2) concurrent medicines for other conditions
- ADR
- avoid interaction with current therapy
- indication of other med conditions
- ask about prescribed and OTC meds
- allergies
