OSCE Checklist: Abdominal Examination
Introduction
1 Wash your hands and don PPE if appropriate
2 Introduce yourself to the patient including your name and role
3 Confirm the patient's name and date of birth
Briefly explain what the examination will involve using patient-friendly
4
language
5 Gain consent to proceed with the examination
6 Adjust the head of the bed to a 45° angle
7 Adequately expose the patient
8 Ask if the patient has any pain before proceeding
General Evaluation
Assess General appearance and vital sign
HEENT EVALUATION-for signs of dehydration
LG EXAMINATION -for enlarged thyroid
9
Inspect for clinical signs suggestive of underlying pathology (e.g.
confusion, pain, noticeable scars, abdominal distension, pallor, jaundice,
hyperpigmentation, oedema, cachexia, hernias)
Look for objects or equipment on or around the patient (e.g. stoma
10 bag(s), surgical drains, feeding tubes, medications, catheters)
Abdominal inspection
Inspect the patient’s abdomen for signs suggestive of gastrointestinal
11 pathology (e.g. scars,Movement of with breathing, striae, abdominal
distension, hernias sites, vissible veins, rash..)
Abdominal auscultation
12 Auscultate the abdomen to assess bowel sounds
13 Auscultate over the aorta for bruits
14 Auscultate over the renal arteries for bruits
Abdominal palpation
Check if the patient has any abdominal pain before palpating (if so,
15
these areas should be examined last)
16 Perform light palpation of the abdomen across all nine regions
17 Perform deep palpation of the abdomen across all nine regions
18 Palpate the liver
19 Palpate the spleen
20 Palpate the kidneys
21 Palpate the aorta
22 Palpate the bladder
Introduction
1 Wash your hands and don PPE if appropriate
2 Introduce yourself to the patient including your name and role
3 Confirm the patient's name and date of birth
Briefly explain what the examination will involve using patient-friendly
4
language
5 Gain consent to proceed with the examination
6 Adjust the head of the bed to a 45° angle
7 Adequately expose the patient
8 Ask if the patient has any pain before proceeding
General Evaluation
Assess General appearance and vital sign
HEENT EVALUATION-for signs of dehydration
LG EXAMINATION -for enlarged thyroid
9
Inspect for clinical signs suggestive of underlying pathology (e.g.
confusion, pain, noticeable scars, abdominal distension, pallor, jaundice,
hyperpigmentation, oedema, cachexia, hernias)
Look for objects or equipment on or around the patient (e.g. stoma
10 bag(s), surgical drains, feeding tubes, medications, catheters)
Abdominal inspection
Inspect the patient’s abdomen for signs suggestive of gastrointestinal
11 pathology (e.g. scars,Movement of with breathing, striae, abdominal
distension, hernias sites, vissible veins, rash..)
Abdominal auscultation
12 Auscultate the abdomen to assess bowel sounds
13 Auscultate over the aorta for bruits
14 Auscultate over the renal arteries for bruits
Abdominal palpation
Check if the patient has any abdominal pain before palpating (if so,
15
these areas should be examined last)
16 Perform light palpation of the abdomen across all nine regions
17 Perform deep palpation of the abdomen across all nine regions
18 Palpate the liver
19 Palpate the spleen
20 Palpate the kidneys
21 Palpate the aorta
22 Palpate the bladder
