Background (100-030-001-1) Avital and Tami
The patient was married to a man with whom she had a close and somewhat dependant relationship. He was on dialysis for chronic kidney failure and they managed reasonably well with this problem. A week ago he died after an unexpectedly acute infectious illness terminating with systemic collapse. This is the patient’s first visit to the doctor since his death, about which the doctor had already been informed.
The action
The doctor opens with the standard “how are you” and the patient replies “How could I be? My husband just died”
Educational opportunities
This is a short isolated example of a “cue” relating to the patient’s CASE: in particular A –affect and S- significance.
- It can be used simply as an example of “cue” and CASE
- …of a cue relating to more than one element of CASE
- …as a trigger for an exercise/discussion on the wording of a response to this complex cue [+/- comparing it to this doctor’s response]
The doctor’s opening was standard in content and form’ How could it have been modified in this case where the doctor knew in advance of the death of the patient’s husband?
