Advice on ways to ask a sensitive question.

[Ridryder 911]

Quoting Hammer

"And Rid, if I had a broken leg and you were asking me about my last period and sexual history, I'd be like :shock: :roll:"

Yeah there is much easier ways to get the info we really want.

So do you want me to call your husband? No husband, Ok. Would you like me to call your boyfriend? No boyfriend, Ok.

What's your phone number? I need it for the run sheet.

Would you like me to check in on you later? OK, I'll see you in a little while.

Just joking of course I would NEVER hit on a patient, very unprofessional! :wink:

Get used to it... all females from 12 years old to 40+ gets asked this. Don't want to know how many "surprises" we see on x-ray. That is why a pregnancy test is usually always ordered before any x-ray are performed.

I ask it a non-judgmental way... and guess what you will probably be asked by the nurse, the physician and even the x-ray tech, before x-rays are performed. Simple history.. you should have the information. Not doing so you are negligent in information about the patient.

Even if they proclaim to be a homosexual.. I had a patient that I found out after I was told don't worry she is gay ... she had been artificially inseminated and was pregnant. So yes, I ask on all female patients.. don't care even if they were nuns....

R/R 911

[hammerpcp]

Get used to it... all females from 12 years old to 40+ gets asked this. Don't want to know how many "surprises" we see on x-ray. That is why a pregnancy test is usually always ordered before any x-ray are performed.

I ask it a non-judgmental way... and guess what you will probably be asked by the nurse, the physician and even the x-ray tech, before x-rays are performed. Simple history.. you should have the information. Not doing so you are negligent in information about the patient.

Even if they proclaim to be a homosexual.. I had a patient that I found out after I was told don't worry she is gay ... she had been artificially inseminated and was pregnant. So yes, I ask on all female patients.. don't care even if they were nuns....

R/R 911

Point taken. Although I have to wonder after your story here, if perhaps that is a little excessive.? Does the Pt have no responsibility? I have had several x-rays and the extent of the questioning was "Could you be pregnant?". I guess it is understood that I know how impregnation happens, and I am aware if it has happened to me anytime within he last...say.. 9 months or so. They don't take the time to explain the birds and the bees to me and I don't think they should. Perhaps a little human reproduction education is in order for the area you work in, if this is such a common problem. I suggest pamphlets. Or sky writing.

[Ridryder 911]

I wished ER patients understood the birds & the bee's... apparently when they have 6 or 7 kids, they must not, Actually, you would be very surprised how ignorant most people are of their bodies and especially reproductive systems.

That is why I have learned to ask point blank very directive questions.. "could you be pregnant ?.. 90% of females say NO !.. Then, I will ask " Do you have sex ?.. uh.. yes.. are you on birth control or have tubal, hyst etc ? .. uh...no ? Then you could be pregnant .. Oh, I hope not ! Guess what a lot of the come back with a + HCG, pregnancy . the classic line I love " Oh, yeah, I forgot about that one time ... yadda , yadda ! ...... ](*,)

Gotta love them !

R/R 911

[Dustdevil]

First baby I ever delivered, mom was denying she was pregnant even as she was crowning. So yeah... sometimes you will have difficulty communicating with patients if you aren't absolutely direct with them.

[hammerpcp]

First baby I ever delivered, mom was denying she was pregnant even as she was crowning. So yeah... sometimes you will have difficulty communicating with patients if you aren't absolutely direct with them.

Maybe it was an interuterin parasite?

[Guest]

Maybe it was an intrauterine parasite?

Abducted by Aliens?

I think I read about this, in the Inquirer.

I to have had a very similar event, 300 pound women....dispatched as acute abdo pain, found sitting on the craper?

When her water broke (in the elevator) it became rather obvious as to the "ROOT" cause.

She even denied after we delivered the kid!

I don't even think Sky Writing would have been effective in that situation.

Ham could y please explain to me the birds and the bee theorem.....its been a while I need an in-service I think? :roll:

[Ridryder 911]

Then yet again.. I have to wonder about some pregnancies on how conception ever occurred.. of course there the old saying "wherever there is a will there is a way" and alcohol makes things look better...

R/r 911

[Asysin2leads]

Ask simply, straightforward, professionally, and non-judgementally. Inform them of why you are asking. 99.9999% of the time people will respond just fine, if they understand where you are coming from.

Think that's a sensitive subject? I have had to ask, er, I think the proper term now is 'transgendered' patients if they are legally classified as male or female. Really, no fooling, so the hospital records are accurate, it does make a BIG difference what you check. depending on whether they are legally (as opposed to biologicall) male or female. I use that above approach and I have never had a problem, because they understand why I'm asking.