Examination should include :
Cardiovascular status heart rate, blood pressure, postural drop or evidence of anaemia
Abdomen examination – look for an abdomen mass, tenderness or signs of peritonism19 Pelvic examination – while it is becoming less common to perform a pelvic examination in the ED, this can provide invaluable information20. Vaginal examination will help provide clues about trauma, foreign body, mass, discharge, or cervical motion tenderness19. Ensure the examination is performed in a private space, with a chaperone present and patient consent.
See this RCEM Learning blog on speculum examination here20.
Learning Bite
A structured history and examination will help rule out emergent diagnoses in the ED.