Integrated Medical Education Resources: B.) WORKSHOP DISCUSSION CASES

GROUP #11 (CASES ON RESOURCES)

Case #40: A 65-year old man whose brother had just died from coronary heart disease walked into the health center and asked for examination because he was afraid that his heart may also have problems. The triage nurse asked him if he had any specific complaints. He replied that he has none and that he was in perfect health. The nurse rebuked him for wasting her time. ‘Don’t you the see line of 120 really ill people waiting to see a doctor? How can we waste time in someone healthy like you?’. The man left but was admitted to the ICU 5 days later with myocardial infarction and he died after 2 days.

Case #41: The ICU staffs were in a dilemma because 2 patients presented at the same time and they had only one free bed. The first patient was 90 years old and has been admitted three times before with myocardial infarction. His sons forced him to come to hospital; he had expressed preference to stay and die at home in peace. The second patient was a 30-year neurosurgeon. He was the only one in the whole country. He had been involved in a serious car accident and was in coma.

Case #42: A 37-year old mother, who had just had a normal delivery with considerable blood loss, protested at being discharged the next day. She needed rest and could not get that at home where she had 5 children to look after. The midwives told her they needed the bed for other patients. She was readmitted the next day with fatal postnatal hemorrhage.