Week 10: Special Examinations—Breast, Genital, Prostate, and Rectal
One critical element of any physical exam is the ability of the examiner to put the patient at ease. By putting the patient at ease, nurses are more likely to glean quality, meaningful information that will help the patient get the best care possible. When someone feels safe, listened to, and cared about, exams often go more smoothly. This is especially true when dealing with issues concerning breasts, genitals, prostates, and rectums, which are subjects that many patients find difficult to talk about. As a result, it is important to gain a firm understanding of how to gain vital information and perform the necessary assessment techniques in as non-invasive a manner as possible.

For this week, you explore how to assess problems with the breasts, genitalia, rectum, and prostate.

Learning Objectives
Students will:

Evaluate abnormal findings on the genitalia and rectum
Apply concepts, theories, and principles relating to health assessment techniques and diagnoses for the breasts, genitalia, prostate, and rectum

Assignment: Lab Assignment: Assessing the Genitalia and Rectum

Photo Credit: Getty Images

Patients are frequently uncomfortable discussing with healthcare professional’s issues that involve the genitalia and rectum; however, gathering an adequate history and properly conducting a physical exam are vital. Examining case studies of genital and rectal abnormalities can help prepare advanced practice nurses to accurately assess patients with problems in these areas.

In this Lab Assignment, you will analyze an Episodic note case study that describes abnormal findings in patients seen in a clinical setting. You will consider what history should be collected from the patients, as well as which physical exams and diagnostic tests should be conducted. You will also formulate a differential diagnosis with several possible conditions.

To Prepare
Review the Episodic note case study your instructor provides you for this week’s Assignment. Please see the “Course Announcements” section of the classroom for your Episodic note case study.
Based on the Episodic note case study:
Review this week’s Learning Resources, and consider the insights they provide about the case study. Refer to Chapter 3 of the Sullivan resource to guide you as you complete your Lab Assignment.
Search the Walden library or the Internet for evidence-based resources to support your answers to the questions provided.
Consider what history would be necessary to collect from the patient in the case study.
Consider what physical exams and diagnostic tests would be appropriate to gather more information about the patient’s condition. How would the results be used to make a diagnosis?
Identify at least five possible conditions that may be considered in a differential diagnosis for the patient.
The Lab Assignment
Using evidence-based resources from your search, answer the following questions and support your answers using current evidence from the literature.

Analyze the subjective portion of the note. List additional information that should be included in the documentation.
Analyze the objective portion of the note. List additional information that should be included in the documentation.
Is the assessment supported by the subjective and objective information? Why or why not?
Would diagnostics be appropriate for this case, and how would the results be used to make a diagnosis?
Would you reject/accept the current diagnosis? Why or why not? Identify three possible conditions that may be considered as a differential diagnosis for this patient. Explain your reasoning using at least three different references from current evidence-based literature.

Required Readings

Ball, J. W., Dains, J. E., Flynn, J. A., Solomon, B. S., & Stewart, R. W. (2019). Seidel’s guide to physical examination: An interprofessional approach (9th ed.). St. Louis, MO: Elsevier Mosby.

Chapter 17, “Breasts and Axillae”

This chapter focuses on examining the breasts and axillae. The authors describe the examination procedures and the anatomy and physiology of breasts.

Chapter 19, “Female Genitalia”

In this chapter, the authors explain how to conduct an examination of female genitalia. The chapter also describes the form and function of female genitalia.

Chapter 20, “Male Genitalia”

The authors explain the biology of the penis, testicles, epididymides, scrotum, prostate gland, and seminal vesicles. Additionally, the chapter explains how to perform an exam of these areas.

Chapter 21, “Anus, Rectum, and Prostate”

This chapter focuses on performing an exam of the anus, rectum, and prostate. The authors also explain the anatomy and physiology of the anus, rectum, and prostate.
Dains, J. E., Baumann, L. C., & Scheibel, P. (2019). Advanced health assessment and clinical diagnosis in primary care (6th ed.). St. Louis, MO: Elsevier Mosby.

Credit Line: Advanced Health Assessment and Clinical Diagnosis in Primary Care, 6th Edition by Dains, J.E., Baumann, L. C., & Scheibel, P. Copyright 2019 by Mosby. Reprinted by permission of Mosby via the Copyright Clearance Center.

Week 10 Case for Assignment
Posted on: Sunday, August 2, 2020 9:00:00 AM EDT

For this assignment, you will analyze an Episodic note case study that describes abnormal findings in patients seen in a clinical setting. You will consider what history should be collected from the patients, as well as which physical exams and diagnostic tests should be conducted. You will also formulate a differential diagnosis with several possible conditions.

Review the following Episodic note case study:

Subjective:

• CC: “I have bumps on my bottom that I want to have checked out.”

• HPI: AB, a 21-year-old WF college student reports to your clinic with external

bumps on her genital area. She states the bumps are painless and feel rough.

She states she is sexually active and has had more than one partner during the

past year. Her initial sexual contact occurred at age 18. She reports no abnormal

vaginal discharge. She is unsure how long the bumps have been there but

noticed them about a week ago. Her last Pap smear exam was 3 years ago, and

no dysplasia was found; the exam results were normal. She reports one sexually

transmitted infection (chlamydia) about 2 years ago. She completed the

treatment for chlamydia as prescribed.

• PMH: Asthma

• Medications: Symbicort 160/4.5mcg

• Allergies: NKDA

• FH: No hx of breast or cervical cancer, Father hx HTN, Mother hx HTN, GERD

• Social: Denies tobacco use; occasional etoh, married, 3 children (1 girl, 2 boys)

Objective:

• VS: Temp 98.6; BP 120/86; RR 16; P 92; HT 5’10”; WT 169lbs

• Heart: RRR, no murmurs

• Lungs: CTA, chest wall symmetrical

• Genital: Normal female hair pattern distribution; no masses or swelling. Urethral

meatus intact without erythema or discharge. Perineum intact. Vaginal mucosa

pink and moist with rugae present, pos for firm, round, small, painless ulcer noted

on external labia

• Abd: soft, normoactive bowel sounds, neg rebound, neg murphy’s, negMcBurney

• Diagnostics: HSV specimen obtained

Assessment:

• Chancre

PLAN: This section is not required for the assignments in this course (NURS 6512) but

will be required for future courses.