Abdominal assessment To assess abdomen, palpate all 4 quadrants for
DR. GERM:
Distension: liver problems, bowel obstruction
Rigidity (board like): bleeding
Guarding: muscular tension when touched
Evisceration/
ecchymosis
Rebound tenderness: infection
Masses
Altered level of consciousness: reasons AEIOU TIPS Alcohol
Epilepsy, electrolytes, and encephalopathy
Insulin
Overdose, oxygen
Underdose, uremia
Trauma, temperature
Infection
Psychogenic, poisons
Stroke, shock
Deep tendon reflexes (DTR's) One two, put on my shoe - S1/2 roots for Achilles reflex (foot plantarflexion)
Three four, kick the door - L3/4 roots for patellar reflex (knee extension)
Five six, pick up sticks - C5/6 roots for brachioradialis and biceps brachii reflexes (elbow flexion)
Seven eight, shut the gate - C7/8 roots for triceps brachii reflex (elbow extension)
Causes of symptoms: OPQRST OPQRST is a mnemonic used to assess symptoms in clinical settings, particularly in emergency medicine. •
O — Onset (when symptoms began) •
P — Provocation/palliation (factors that exacerbate or relieve symptoms) •
Q — Quality (description of the pain or discomfort) •
R — Region/radiation (location of pain and any radiation to other areas) •
S — Severity (intensity of the symptoms) •
T — Time (duration and progression of symptoms)
Fetal monitoring VEAL CHOP Neurovascular assessment 5
P's:
Pain
Pallor
Paresthesia
Pulse
Paralysis
Trauma assessment DCAP-BTLS Deformities & discolorations
Contusions Abrasions &
avulsion Penetrations & punctures
Burns
Tenderness Lacerations Swelling & symmetry
BP-DOC Bleeding
Pain
Deformities
Open wounds
Crepitus Toxicological seizures: causes OTIS CAMPBELL Organophosphates
Tricyclic antidepressants
Isoniazid,
insulin
Sympathomimetics
Camphor,
cocaine
Amphetamines
Methylxanthines
PCP,
propoxyphene,
phenol,
propranolol
Benzodiazepine withdrawal,
botanicals
Ethanol withdrawal
Lithium,
lidocaine
Lindane,
lead
Vomiting: non-GIT differential ABCDEFGHI:
Acute renal failure
Brain [increased ICP]
Cardiac [inferior MI]
DKA
Ears [labyrinthitis]
Foreign substances [paracetamol, theo, etc.]
Glaucoma
Hyperemesis gravidarum
Infection [pyelonephritis, meningitis]
Heart valve auscultation sites "
All
patients
take
meds": Reading from top left:
Aortic
Pulmonary
Tricuspid
Mitral
Glasgow coma scale: components and numbers Scale types is 3
V's:
Visual response
Verbal response
Vibratory (motor) response Scale scores are 4,5,6: Scale of
4: see so much
more Scale of
5: talking
jive Scale of
6: feels the
pricks (if testing motor by pain withdrawal)
Mental state examination: stages in order "
Assessed
mental
state to
be
positively
clinically
unremarkable":
Appearance and behaviour [observe state, clothing...]
Mood [recent spirit]
Speech [rate, form, content]
Thinking [thoughts, perceptions]
Behavioural abnormalities
Perception abnormalities
Cognition [time, place, age...]
Understanding of condition [ideas, expectations, concerns]
History SAMPLE history Signs and symptoms
Allergies
Medications
Past medical history, injuries, illnesses
Last meal/intake
Events leading up to the injury and/or illness
OPQRST history Onset of symptoms
Provocation/pallitive
Quality or character of pain
Region of pain or radiation
Signs, symptoms and severity
Time of onset, duration, intensity
Orthopaedic assessment CLORIDE FPP Character: sharp or dull pain
Location: region (joint) of origin
Onset: sudden vs. gradual
Radiation:
Intensity: how severe (scale 1–10), impact on ADLs (activities of daily living), is it getting better, worse or staying the same?
Duration: acute vs. chronic
Events associated: falls, morning stiffness, swelling, redness, joint clicking or locking, muscle cramps, muscle wasting, movement limitation, weakness, numbness or tingling, fever, chills, trauma (mechanism of injury), occupation activities, sports, repetitive movements
Frequency: intermittent vs. constant, have you ever had this pain before?
Palliative factors: is there anything that makes it better? (rest, activity, meds, heat, cold)
Provocative factors: is there anything that makes it worse? (rest, activity, etc.)
Pain history checklist SOCRATES:
Site
Onset
Character
Radiation
Alleviating factors/
associated symptoms
Timing (duration, frequency)
Exacerbating factors
Severity Alternatively, signs and symptoms with the 'S'
PLOTRADIO Past history
Location
Onset/offset
Type/character (of pain)
Radiation
Aggravating/alleviating factors
Duration
Intensity
Other associated symptoms
Abdominal swelling causes 9 F's:
Fat
Feces
Fluid
Flatus
Fetus
Full-sized tumors
Full bladder
Fibroids
False pregnancy
Head trauma: rapid neuro exam 12
P's
Psychological (mental) status
Pupils: size, symmetry, reaction
Paired ocular movements
Papilloedema
Pressure (BP, increased ICP)
Pulse and rate
Paralysis,
paresis
Pyramidal signs
Pin prick sensory response
Pee (incontinent)
Patellar reflex
Ptosis
Ocular bobbing vs. dipping "
Breakfast is fast,
dinner is slow, both go
down":
Bobbing is
fast Dipping is
slow In both, the initial movement is
down.
Pupillary dilation (persistent): causes 3AM:
3rd nerve palsy
Anti-muscarinic eye drops (e.g. to facilitate fundoscopy)
Myotonic pupil
Clinical examination: initial Inspection of patient from end of bed ABC:
Appearance (SOB, pain, etc.)
Behaviour
Connections (drips, inhalers, etc. connected to patient)
Differential diagnosis checklist "A VITAMIN C" Acquired
Vascular
Inflammatory (
infectious and non-
infectious)
Trauma/
toxins
Autoimmune
Metabolic
Idiopathic
Neoplastic
Congenital
Primitive reflexes "
Absent
reflexes
should
get
paediatrics
professors
mad"
Absent: asymmetrical tonic neck reflex
Reflexes: rooting reflex
Should: suck reflex
Get: grasp reflex
Paediatrics: placing reflex
Professors: parachute reflex
Mad: Moro reflex
Family history (FH) BALD CHASM:
Blood pressure (high)
Arthritis
Lung disease
Diabetes
Cancer
Heart disease
Alcoholism
Stroke
Mental health disorders (depression, etc.)
Four point physical assessment of a disease "
I'm
a people
person"
Inspection
Auscultation
Percussion
Palpation
Medical history: disease checklist MJ THREADS:
Myocardial infarction
Jaundice
Tuberculosis
Hypertension
Rheumatic fever/
rheumatoid arthritis
Epilepsy
Asthma
Diabetes
Strokes
Past medical history (PMH) VAMP THIS:
Vices (tobacco, alcohol, other drugs, sexual risks)
Allergies
Medications
Preexisting medical conditions
Trauma
History of hospitalizations
Immunizations
Surgeries
SMASH FM:
Social history
Medical history
Allergies
Surgical history
Hospitalizations
Family history
Medications
Patient examination organization SOAP:
Subjective: what the patient says.
Objective: what the examiner observes.
Assessment: what the examiner thinks is going on.
Plan: what they intend to do about it
Patient profile (PP) LADDERS:
Living situation/
lifestyle
Anxiety
Depression
Daily activities (describe a typical day)
Environmental risks /
exposure
Relationships
Support system /
stress
Physical exam for 'lumps and bumps' "6
students and 3
teachers go for
CAMPFIRE":
Site,
size,
shape,
surface,
skin,
scar
Tenderness,
temperature,
transillumination
Consistency
Attachment
Mobility
Pulsation
Fluctuation
Irreducibility
Regional lymph nodes
Edge
Short stature causes RETARD HEIGHT:
Rickets
Endocrine (cretinism, hypopituitarism, Cushing's)
Turner syndrome
Achondroplasia
Respiratory(suppurative lung disease)
Down syndrome
Hereditary
Environmental (postirradiation, postinfectious)
IUGR
GI (malabsorption)
Heart (congenital heart disease)
Tilted backbone (scoliosis)
Sign vs. symptom S&S: S
ign:
I (the examiner) can detect attributes/reactions without patient description Sym
ptom:
patient only can sense attributes/feelings
Social history FED TACOS:
Food
Exercise
Drugs
Tobacco
Alcohol
Caffeine
Occupation
Sexual activity
Surgical sieve for diagnostic categories INVESTIGATIONS:
Iatrogenic
Neoplastic
Vascular
Endocrine
Structural / mechanical
Traumatic
Inflammatory
Genetic / congenital
Autoimmune
Toxic
Infective
Old age / degenerative
Nutritional
Spontaneous / idiopathic
Surgical sieve for diagnostic categories (alternate) PAST MIDNIGHT: Psychological
Autoimmune
Spontaneous/idiopathic
Toxic
Metabolic
Inflammatory
Degenerative
Neoplastic
Infection
Genetic
Hematological
Traumatic
VITAMIN CDEF: Vascular
Infective/inflammatory
Traumatic
Autoimmune
Metabolic
Iatrogenic/idiopathic
Neoplastic
Congenital
Degenerative/developmental
Endocrine/environmental
Functional
Breast history checklist LMNOP:
Lump
Mammary changes
Nipple changes
Other symptoms
Patient risk factors
Delivering bad news SPIKES:
Setting up
Perception
Invitation
Knowledge
Emotions
Strategy and summary ==Nephrology==