Station - Instructions for candidate
You are an intern working in the paediatric Emergency Department of a metropolitan hospital in Perth.
Isla Brennan, aged 2 years, has been brought in by her mother, Kate, with two days of vomiting and diarrhoea. Observations and a weight have been recorded. The child is on her mother's lap; her mother will give the history, and examination findings will be provided by the examiner as you verbalise each step.
| Observations at triage | Heart rate 150 /min, respiratory rate 30 /min, temperature 37.8 degrees C, blood pressure 92/58 mmHg, SpO2 99% on room air, weight 12.0 kg |
|---|---|
| Triage note | Vomiting and diarrhoea 2 days, drowsy at triage. Mother reports weight 12.8 kg at the child health nurse three weeks ago. Category 3. |
Your tasks are to:
- Take a focused history from the mother, including the relevant paediatric background.
- Perform a focused examination of the child, including her general appearance, hydration status and abdomen. Verbalise each step to the examiner and the findings will be provided.
- Request any investigations you would order. The examiner will tell you whether they are indicated and provide results where appropriate.
- State your most likely diagnosis and the differential diagnoses to the examiner.
- Outline your initial management plan to the examiner, including fluid volumes for this child, and explain the plan to the mother.
- You do NOT need to summarise your history and examination findings to the examiner.
- State drug, dose and route where relevant, and show your fluid calculations aloud.
- The examiner may hand you results at any point after you request them.
This is a 15-minute station, with 2 minutes of reading time.