Question

Mary Ann ,a medical assisting, works in a busy primary carw office operated by two physicians, Dr. Johnson and Dr. Laakwr. It is Saturday, ak the ataf consists of just Mary Ann , Dr. Johnson, and anotjer medical assist2 named Valerie. On Saturday , the office is open only until 1:00 p.m., but it is altrady 11:00 a.m. and thw office haa been extremely busy. Valerie has not had timw ro do her morning checks yet, and thw reception room is full of crying children. Aa Mary Ann is looking over the schwdule , ahe hears a commotion out front, followed by a sudden quiet, and tjen Valerie's call for help. When Mary Ann gets to the reception room, there is a worried- lookimg man bent over a 35 year old woman who is supine on the floor. She appears to be awake , but jer eyes are closed and she is grimacing. She seems veey short of. breath. Her face is profusely diaphoretic and pale. " she had some indigestion last nigjt whe she went to bed" , the man says, " and she did not sleep much last nigjt. this morning when she got up to the bathroom, she stated she was very nauseated ." When asked, the lady responds with her name and says she is having some really sharp pain in her rigjt lower abdomen. She points to with one finger. Dr. Jonson is notify. immediately to further evaluate the womenm. As instructed, Mary Ann and Valerie help the woman into a wheelchair and wheel her into an examination room. She immediately complains of dizzinesss and increased pain, and now her breathing necomes extremely labored. She cannot seem to talk at all in response to questions.

1. What is your response? 2. What is your clinical impression of this woman? 3. In what position should she be placed? 4. What kind of history would you be especially curious about? 5. What kind of initial treatment would you administer? 6. Considering the available resources and this patient's status, what would you like to see happen next? 7. Remember that you can also research resources from the online library (LIRN) or other reliable sources. The your knowledge on the subject.

Answer 1

1. Make the patient in a comfortable position. Check vital signs. Connect monitors. Check oxygen saturation. Administer O2.

2. The patient's symptoms of indigestion, nausea, dizziness, labored breathing, sharp pain at the right lower abdomen denotes that the patient may suffer from appendicitis.

3. Fowler's position is best for the patient because she has labored breathing. In fowler's position, the lung expands maximum, so that the patient can breathe easily.

4. Collect history about any drug allergies, past medical history, current medication, any type of infection, GI problems.

5. Administer analgesics to relieve pain on the patient.

6. Check the patient for McBurney's sign to confirm appendicitis. Do ultrasound scanning to diagnose the patient exactly. If it is appendicitis then plan for surgery to avoid complications.