CASE PRESENTATION FORMAT
Patient biographical data:
Sex, age, fictitious name, other pertinent information
Medical background:
Previous symptoms, other treatments
Presenting medical problem:
Chief complaint
Current treatment history:
Number of treatments, patient progress, other information
Current assessment and observations:
Your personal challenge with this patient:
Six Steps to Dealing with Challenging Situations
1) Presenting Problem
How do you assess the challenging situation? (e.g., Your patient may be resistant, non-compliant, or uncooperative; treatment may not be effective.)
2) Emotional Response
What is your emotional response to this situation? Note all of your feelings: frustration, anger, confused, overwhelmed, or all of the above and more!
3) Self-reflection
What are you thinking that is creating the emotional response in #2? How does this situation reflect on you? What do you think and feel about yourself? How do you perceive yourself and your abilities?
4) Main Concerns
What is most troubling for you in this situation? (For example, you may fear losing the patient, losing face, or prescribing an ineffective treatment.)
5) Possible Solutions
a) Is this a patient-practitioner issue – your relationship with the patient)? What can you say/do, would you like to say/do, that would help the situation?
b) Is this your issue? What can you do to resolve the situation – relax and let go, engage in self-talk, consult?
Discuss the practitioner traits as they pertain to your case.
Which traits could serve as a guide to action?
