A 16-year-old girl attends a Western Australian general practice alone with three days of lower abdominal pain…

Question

A 16-year-old girl attends a Western Australian general practice alone with three days of lower abdominal pain and vaginal discharge. She is sexually active and afebrile. You are a male general practitioner and judge that abdominal and speculum examination is required. You explain what the examination involves and offer to have the practice nurse present. She says she would rather nobody else was in the room and asks you to go ahead. She repeats back accurately what you have proposed and why, an…

Accepted Answer

Document her decision and proceed without an observer

Answer

Ask her mother's permission before examining her

Answer

Defer the examination until a chaperone attends

Answer

Examine her only with the practice nurse present

Answer

Refer her to a female colleague instead

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