OSCE Checklist: History Taking(e.g abdominal
pain and diarrhea )
Opening the consultation
1 Wash your hands(Rub with Alcohol) and don PPE if appropriate
2 Introduce yourself to the patient including your name and role
3 Ask(confirm) the patient's name & date of birth* * optional
4 Explain that you'd like to take a history from the patient
5 Gain consent to proceed with taking a history
Presenting complaint
6 Use open questioning to explore the patient’s presenting complaint
History of presenting complaint
7 Site: ask where the symptom is (if relevant) for the abdominal pain
Onset: clarify when the symptom first started and if it the onset was sudden or
8 gradual
For both
Character: ask the patient to describe how the symptom feels
9 Both abdominal pain and diarrhea
10 Radiation: ask if the symptom moves anywhere else for the abdominal pain
11 Associated symptoms: ask if there are any other associated symptoms
12 Time course: ask how the symptom has changed over time
Exacerbating or relieving factors: ask if anything makes the symptom worse or
13
better
Severity: ask how severe the symptom is on a scale of 0-10
14 Ask any risk factor for diarrhea or abdominal pain like any drug history,any
surgery history,travel history,cancers and immunosupressive conditions
Screen for other key symptoms such as weight loss,hot or cold
15 intolerance,other chronic illness,dizziness ,vertigo and previous history of
similar complaints
16 Explore the patient's ideas, concerns and expectations
17 Summarise the patient’s presenting complaint
Systemic enquiry
18 Screen for relevant symptoms in other body systems
Travel history
19 Take a travel history if relevant to the presenting complaint
Past medical history
20 Screen for conditions that increase the risk of diarrhea and abdominal pain
pain and diarrhea )
Opening the consultation
1 Wash your hands(Rub with Alcohol) and don PPE if appropriate
2 Introduce yourself to the patient including your name and role
3 Ask(confirm) the patient's name & date of birth* * optional
4 Explain that you'd like to take a history from the patient
5 Gain consent to proceed with taking a history
Presenting complaint
6 Use open questioning to explore the patient’s presenting complaint
History of presenting complaint
7 Site: ask where the symptom is (if relevant) for the abdominal pain
Onset: clarify when the symptom first started and if it the onset was sudden or
8 gradual
For both
Character: ask the patient to describe how the symptom feels
9 Both abdominal pain and diarrhea
10 Radiation: ask if the symptom moves anywhere else for the abdominal pain
11 Associated symptoms: ask if there are any other associated symptoms
12 Time course: ask how the symptom has changed over time
Exacerbating or relieving factors: ask if anything makes the symptom worse or
13
better
Severity: ask how severe the symptom is on a scale of 0-10
14 Ask any risk factor for diarrhea or abdominal pain like any drug history,any
surgery history,travel history,cancers and immunosupressive conditions
Screen for other key symptoms such as weight loss,hot or cold
15 intolerance,other chronic illness,dizziness ,vertigo and previous history of
similar complaints
16 Explore the patient's ideas, concerns and expectations
17 Summarise the patient’s presenting complaint
Systemic enquiry
18 Screen for relevant symptoms in other body systems
Travel history
19 Take a travel history if relevant to the presenting complaint
Past medical history
20 Screen for conditions that increase the risk of diarrhea and abdominal pain
