Minor ailment or major disease Flashcards
How do you plan a question when you are about to speak to a patient?
Who is the patient
What do they look like
What is their sex
What is the PC ( presenting complaint)
What action have they taken already?
What is an NSAID
Non steroidal anti inflammatory drug (NSAID)
If any asthmatic patients take an NSAID it can cause an asthma attack
questions needed to be asked
How are you?
What is the problem?
Who is it for?
How old are they?
What are your symptoms? Describe them
Other medical conditions
Allergies
What other action?
Lifestyle advice
What are open questions and how do they help the patient?
Broad in nature and need more than a one or two word answer
Does not suggest a ‘right answer’
Allows the patient to give an unlimited range of responses
Examples;
What would you like to discuss today?
Why have you asked to see me today?
How are you getting on with your new medicine?
How can I help you today?
When did you start to feel sickly?
Where do you feel the pain mostly?
Closed questions
Only likely to produce “Yes” or “No” or one word answers
Can be useful;
Can be used to clarify key facts
Can be useful to winding down a discussion and finalising options
Easy to answer
Can help elicit a response from patient who are not comfortable talking at length
Some dangers in using them;
Information not covered by the question will be missed
Add to unnecessary uncertainty in the person answering
Discussions rarely flow
Probing questions
dig a little deeper to anything asked already
“You said you feel pain when getting out of bed- tell me more about that”
Gains more understanding
TED (tell explain describe)
Tell me more about the feeling you get when you take the blood pressure tablet
Explain to me why you are worried about taking this new tablet
You say you feel unwell after taking your tablet…..Describe what that feeling is to me
CAREFUL with tone of voice – so not to sound authoritative.
Why are leading questions bad?
Patient is not sure of the answer as says yes as he remembers an evening meal when he ate too much and his pain was bad.
WWHAM (communication
Who is it for
What are the symptoms
How long have you had it
Action taken
Medication taken for other problem
Cough - differential diagnosis
Bacterial/Viral Infection/Bronchitis
Sore Throat / Tonsilitis
Allergy
Smokers cough
Lung Cancer
TB
Pulmonary Embolism
Medication induced (ACE Inhibitor)
Exercise induced swelling
Normally after prolonged exercise
Muscle pains
Normally returns back to normal after RICE
Oedema
Feels ‘spongy’
Filled with fluid
May occur in the ankle first
Cellulitis
Red, hot
Tender and painful
In severe cases can cause High temperature and Rigors.
Pulmonary Embolism & Deep Vein Thrombosis
Blood Clot
Usually in the calf
Painful, Swelling and Tender
Normally occurs after immobility
Pulmonary Embolism can also be diagnosed by a cough, chest pain and breathlessness
Lymphoedema
Chronic, Long term
Problem with Lymphatic System
Fluid may leak through the tissue
May be folds developing in the skin
