Question

You have just completed an abdominal image on Mrs. Elderly. While waiting for the image to process you engage her in conversation. She tells you that you have x-rayed her before and she appreciates the gentle manner in which you treat her. She also tells you that she just had emergency abdominal surgery 3 days ago and actually feels worse than she did before. She now complains of abdominal pain, bloating, and thinks she is running a temperature. She asks you if you are familiar with the work of her surgeon, Dr. Allthumbs. Is he a good surgeon? Are his patients prone to complications after surgery? She then asks you jokingly if he has ever left any surgical instruments inside his patients. You tell her that you need to check on her image and that you will return in a moment.

When you review Mrs. Elderly’s image you are in for a shock! You clearly notice a hemostat (surgical instrument) inside her abdomen. You show the image to the radiologist and she asks you to take a side view (lateral) to further demonstrate the position of the hemostat. When you return to x-ray Mrs. Elderly, she refuses any more images until “someone tells me what is going on!”

1. How do you answer the questions that Mrs. Elderly asked you about her surgeon?

2. What do you tell Mrs. Elderly when she asks you why you are taking another image?

Answer 1

Answers:

1. Mrs. Eldery asked that are you familiar with the work of her surgeon, and is he a good surgeon? She also wanted to know that are his patients prone to complications after sugery? She also asked jokingly that, if the doctor has ever left any surgical instruments inside his patients.

For answering these type question from a patient, you should take care about words coming from your side. This is why because, in medical field, especially in surgical field, there are lot of factors depending the treatment success. First factor is correct diagnosing the disease condition and the surical site and procedure to be well planned and implemented. Next, patient health status is very important for sheduling a surgery. Any risk factors or other illness to patient will influence the surgical procedure. Also the ability of surgeon is very important in the success of surgical treatment. Also the cooperation of patient is important to need the success of any surgical procedure. So, you have to answer the questions of patient regarding these above factors. You can answer about the surgeon as good and has no reported complications regarding other patients in his surgical procedures. This answer provides the patient more comfort and reduce anxiety and fear. Also you have to provide mental support and energy to patient by answering, I will check your condition and will discuss the condition with the consultant. For that, I want to take some investigations such as x-rays and other tests, if needed. You can give answer like taking x-ray provides the information about entire surgical region of body and helps to know any fluid collection, odema, or any foreign materials. So you have to avoid worry about this worse condition. We will take steps to rule out all your problems.

2. What do you tell Mrs.Elderly when she asks you why are you taking another image?

As per the instruction from the radiologist, you want to take a lateral x-ray image. For this you need to take permission for taking another x-ray. You can tell the patient that some findings are seen in previous x-ray regarding her surgical procedure. For getting more information and confirmation of findings you want to take another view of x-ray image. For this, only patient position need to be changed. You can also advice the patient that, this additional x-ray image will provide additional information of previous findings and the worse condition of patient will be reduced.  So please ready to take another x-ray image for your better treatment care.