Question

Using the following case study role-play with your partner how you would apply critical thinking skils to pe telephone screening. A patient calls stating she has experienced nausea and vomiting for 24 hours and has pain in her lower right quadrant She reports the pain as sharp and a 6 on a 1 to 10 scale. As the medical assistant who answers the phone, what qpestions could you ask to gather more specific information? When should this patient be seen? How woild you document the interaction with the patient?

Answer 1

The patient's and symptoms are more specific of acute appendicitis. An emergency appointment is necessary because if it is appendicitis after the onset of symptoms it may rupture in 48 to 72 hours and if untreated will cause death.

The additional questions to confirm this are

• Is there any fever? to rule out infection ?
• Have you experienced this type of pain before ?
• Have you tried any home remedy and the pain subsidised for sometime?
• How about bowel patterns? Diarrhoea or constipation are expected
• Is there any feeling of abdominal bloating difficult in passing flatus
• Are you able to eat?
• Is the pain radiating?

The patient should be seen immediately .Document as query of acute appendicitis with complete history about pain anf thw patient status.