Communications station..

This can be one of the scary OSCE stations, because it hard to know what to expect. Here are some ideas of some things you could ask, in some sort of structure. Remember to look on the right hand side at the bottom for previous posts on chest exam.

Other osce tips

- dress smart and comfy

- Wash your hands!!!

- thank the patient

- smile

- dont let one station put you off- its ok to fail one or two

- learn the script, you wont have to look for things at this stage

Communication station

NB:  it can be helpful in this station to take a pen and paper and jot down the patients name and age for your summary.

“Hi, my name Is .......... and im a first year medical student.

Can I just ask your name?

And how old are you?

Are you currently employed? What is your occupation?

 

I’m just here for you to have a chat with about anything that might be worrying you health wise. Is there anything specifically that you have come to see me about?

 

Listen, noises, demonstrate interest and respect.

 

Ok, so. Summarise…. Is there anything else?

 

Cab you give me a timeline of when you started feeling this way? When did it start and what did you notice changing that made you decide to come and see me?

 

Condition-

What makes it worse?

What makes it easier to deal with?

Have you been taking anything for it?

Pain? Where does it spread, what kind of pain?

 

Remember to use silence!

Remember to clarify ambiguous statements

 

Ok, so let me check over those details again, please correct me if I’m wrong summarise.

 

So have you any ideas about what could be causing this?

Where did you get this information?

Is there anything you are particularly worried about concerning your problem?

What would like to achieve from this consultation, what are our goals?

 

Ok, i'm just going to ask you a little about you’re past medical history. Is there anything that you have been to see a doctor about previously that you think could be related to this?

Recent surgery?

Any long-term conditions like asthma or high blood pressure?

Are you on any medication?

Do you take any over the counter or alternative medicine, vitamin supplements?

Do you have any allergies?

Are there any conditions that run in your family?

Do you mind if we discuss a little about your family life?

 

Who lives at home with you?

Do you care for anyone?  How does that make you feel? Is it stressful?

Can you cope at home?

Do you smoke? How much?

Do you drink? How much?

 

Have you been on holiday anywhere recently? This might sound like a funny question, but there are lots of different health risks in other countries that I have to take into account.

 

Summarise

 

And a little about you personally?

Has your current condition been making your personal life any more difficult?

Do you enjoy your job? Is it stressful / tiring

Have you experienced any weight loss recently?

Have you felt unusually down or despondent?

 

Summarise

You have been experiencing….

You would like to have XYZ sorted

 

Ok, thank you for coming to see me, I hope this has been helpful for you; I will pass this information onto the GP.