How to Take a Good History of Present Illness?

It was my first day evaluating a patient by myself as a Nurse Practitioner in clinical practice. Everything felt so new.

Sure, I had my grad school and clinical training under my belt. I had shadowed both of the attendings I worked with for one month and had taken dozens of notes.

My attendings had different approaches to obtaining an HPI and made it look so easy. I had practiced what I would say and the questions I would ask my patients many times. 

It was showtime!

I was to apply all this knowledge and start seeing patients on my own to then present these patient cases to my attendings.

But somehow, I felt uneasy as I walked inside that first patient's room.

There I was, glued to the computer screen, typing away in the EMR, terrified of missing something important. I know I must have asked the patient everything and then more! 

It was then when I decided to have a specific framework, a format to use each and every time I walked into a patient's room.

If I was to master the art of history taking, I had to master taking a good HPI. Ultimately, a good HPI is what guides a clinician to make a correct diagnosis. 

That is why I decided to create this week's clinical video. To share the strategies I developed and continue to use until this day. 

I do want to re-assure you that it gets easier. But, even those with lots of clinical experience can learn to be more effective and efficient. With that said...

What Will You Learn?

☑️ The #1 strategy to use when interviewing a patient with an Orthopedic complaint 

☑️ The best approach to getting an Ortho-related HPI and ace that patient interview

☑️ The Four effective ways to feel more confident while taking a good HPI

Do you lack good history-taking experience? It doesn't matter! You'll be able to apply what you learn today. 

Also, the beauty of it is how easy these clinical strategies can be applied to any clinical setting. Especially when you are managing patients with Orthopedic related illnesses.  

Ready? Let's dig in. Go ahead and play the video below now -----

 Now, it's time to turn these strategies into action! 

It's OK if you need to focus on one strategy at a time. The point is to start applying what you learn today so you can see results.

Remember, practice makes perfect! 

Let me know which strategy from the video would be the biggest win for your clinical practice?

I am creating a new On-demand Orthopedic course for non-specialist clinicians. Imagine no longer fearing that Ortho patient's complaint. The course will take your skills to a whole new level so you can maximize your clinical practice. Sign up and get on the waitlist!  

Warmest, 

Yessica