STEP 2 CS EXAM: ACCESSING THE PATIENT’S PAIN LEVEL

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STEP 2 CS EXAM: ACCESSING THE PATIENT’S PAIN LEVEL

Category : Step 2 CS Tips

In the Step 2 CS exam, pain evaluation is one of the important factors that assessors use to determine whether you have prepared well. That being said, how do you confidently tackle this section? Here are a few tips to keep in mind while being examined.

  1. Make the patient (examiner) comfortable

Presentation is key here. Make a warm introduction to the patient so that they ease into you. This reduces their tension and nerves (and also shows that you’re confident with the examiner).

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  1. Read the patient’s facial expression

Facial expressions convey a lot about the level of pain and distress. Moreover, it’s important to ask the patient to relate their intensity of pain on a scale of 1 to 10. From there, you can proceed with a few more questions (preferably one or two); but don’t ask any that lead into irrelevant information.

  1. Inquiring on other parameters of pain

After you’ve assessed the intensity, it’s also important to know the location of the pain, the radiation and its frequency. This is important as it helps you build up a more accurate differential diagnosis. Remember, the patient comes first. So do everything in your power to make them comfortable i.e, through pain alleviation.

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