Abdominal discomfort during home follow-up
RN OSCE practice station

The task

You are the RN in a community nursing service. Mele Tui, aged 46, reports mild abdominal discomfort and constipation during a planned home visit. Take a focused history, describe an abdominal assessment and agree on a safe review plan. Complete the supplied practice record. You and the patient are in the room; assistance can be called. You have eight minutes; describe and select physical actions in this online exercise.

What this station tests

• Mele’s new iron, low fluid intake and hard stools are relevant history, not proof of one cause.
• Examination findings are available only after consent and an acceptable clinician arrangement.
• Agree fluids within restrictions and ask the GP to review medicines and bowel treatment.
• Escalate new red flags even when today’s observations are stable.

Sources for the clinical content

• ACSQHC: Comprehensive Care Standard
• ACSQHC: Making informed choices (informed consent)
• ACSQHC: Communicating for Safety Standard
• Healthdirect: Constipation

An original practice scenario with invented patients. Not an exam question.

Practise next

• Focused assessment of worsening breathlessness
• Neurovascular concern beneath a new cast
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• A painful hand after forearm surgery