Patient Presentations

Patient presentations are the single most important skill to develop for your Emergency Medicine rotation. General Principles * Stay focused, thorough, and organized* Write out the basic 8-step presentation for reference The 8-Step Patient Presentation * Summary statement* Demographics* Risk factors/Past medical history* Chief complaint* History* OPQRST* Try to give at least 4 descriptors* This is for billing reasons* Pertinent positives/negatives* Give approximately 5 most pertinent symptoms* Vitals* Physical exam* Give approximately 3 MOST pertinent findings * Differential diagnosis* Briefly argue for/against* Include both most likely and most dangerous* Testing plan* Treatment plan* This is the most commonly forgotten step of presentation Additional Reading * Abdominal Pain Presentation – History (EM Clerkship)* Abdominal Pain Presentation – Exam, Plan, and Disposition (EM Clerkship)* Patient Presentations in Emergency Medicine (EMRA)