Station - Instructions for candidate
You are an intern working in the paediatric Emergency Department of a metropolitan hospital in Perth in July.
Nyibol Mading, aged 8 months, has been brought in by her mother, Adut, with three days of a runny nose and cough and, since last night, fast noisy breathing and poor feeding. The triage nurse has recorded observations and weight. The baby is on her mother's lap; the mother will give the history, and examination findings will be provided by the examiner as you verbalise each step.
| Observations at triage | Respiratory rate 62 /min, SpO2 91% on room air, heart rate 156 /min, temperature 38.1 degrees C, weight 8.5 kg |
|---|---|
| Triage note | 8-month-old. Coryza and cough 3 days, increased work of breathing overnight, feeding reduced. Category 3. |
Your tasks are to:
- Take a focused history from the mother, including the relevant paediatric background.
- Perform a focused examination of the baby, including her general appearance, work of breathing, chest and hydration. 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 management plan to the examiner, and explain the diagnosis and 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 say explicitly what you would not give and why.
- 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.