STATION 2:Action Plan for DIARRHOEA

Station 2-Diarrhoea

Action Plan:
Follow standard history taking format sensibly.

• You are ……
• tell me more about the symptoms
• how frequent?any blood?
• still much the same or getting worse?
• any medication?help
• Cigarette
• Caffeine Alcohol
• Any change in period
• Any SoB etc.
• Diet

SOCRATES is useful mnemonics for associated PAIN.

• Site
• Onset: ? following infective episodes or travel
• Character? how would you describe
• Radiation
• Timing: ?wake up at night to go to loo, pain goes away after bowel
• Exacerbation:? diet? tried exclusion
• Severity

Preformed broad DDx should aid symptom analysis.
COLON vs MALABSORPTION vs SI

• infective
• inflammatory
• neoplastic
• ischaemic
• Irritable bowel

Alarm Symptoms will guide the speed and types of  INVESTIGATIONS.

• > 40
• Weight loss
• Bleed
• Family history

Think about BLOOD,STOOL,ENDOSCOPY,IMAGING
Address patient concern and welfare.