Category
Clinical Exam
Bedside signs, examination and clinical language.
Subcategories
End of the bed inspection, hands, nails and peripheral signs.
Cardiovascular ExaminationPulses, JVP, praecordium, heart sounds and murmurs.
Respiratory ExaminationInspection, percussion, auscultation and respiratory signs.
Abdominal ExaminationInspection, palpation, organomegaly and abdominal signs.
Neurological ExaminationCranial nerves, limbs, reflexes, gait and coordination.
Musculoskeletal ExaminationGALS, joint examination and special tests.
Head, Neck and ThyroidThyroid, lymph nodes, eyes and cranial examination.
History TakingStructured history, pain assessment and systems review.
Vital Signs and AssessmentObservations, scoring systems and the acutely unwell patient.
Mental State and CognitionMental state examination, cognitive testing and capacity.
Paediatric and Obstetric ExaminationNewborn checks, developmental assessment and obstetric examination.
Entries in Clinical Exam
Airway, Breathing, Circulation, Disability, Exposure
A structured approach to assessing an acutely unwell patient.
Airway, Breathing, Circulation, Disability, Exposure, treating as you go
A memory aid for the structured assessment of an acutely unwell patient.
Moderate, acute severe, life threatening and near fatal
A memory aid for grading the severity of an acute asthma attack.
Timing and character of the added sound localise the pathology
A memory aid for interpreting crackles, wheeze and rubs.
CAGE: Cut down, Annoyed, Guilty, Eye opener
A mnemonic for the CAGE screening questions and the dependence features.
Aortic, Pulmonary, Tricuspid, Mitral
A mnemonic for the four cardiac auscultation areas in order.
Anterior chest is mostly upper lobe; posterior chest is mostly lower lobe
A memory aid for which lobes are examined from the front and from the back.
Fifth intercostal space in the mid-clavicular line
A memory aid for where the apex beat is normally felt.
Free fluid gravitates to the flanks while gas-filled bowel floats centrally
A memory aid for the anatomical basis of shifting dullness.
Features suggesting malignancy, infection, fracture or cauda equina
A memory aid for the sinister causes of back pain.
Hypotension, raised jugular venous pressure, muffled heart sounds
A mnemonic for the three signs of cardiac tamponade.
Cuff size, position, rate of deflation and repetition
A memory aid for measuring blood pressure accurately and its pitfalls.
Blood pressure
The pressure exerted by circulating blood on arterial walls.
Understand, retain, weigh and communicate
A memory aid for the four elements of decision-making capacity.
Hands, pulse, face, neck, praecordium, then back and legs
A memory aid for the order of a cardiovascular examination.
Respiratory, cardiac, gastrointestinal and endocrine causes
A memory aid for the systemic causes of finger clubbing.
DANISH: Dysdiadochokinesia, Ataxia, Nystagmus, Intention tremor, Slurred speech, Hypotonia
A mnemonic for the signs of cerebellar dysfunction.
Fever, jaundice and right upper quadrant pain; add hypotension and confusion for the pentad
A mnemonic for the features of ascending cholangitis.
Percussion note, breath sounds and vocal resonance identify the pathology
A memory aid for the combination of chest signs in each condition.
Inspection, palpation, percussion, auscultation
A mnemonic for the order of any physical examination.
Essential whenever the patient cannot give a reliable account
A memory aid for when and how to take a collateral history.
Delirium is acute and fluctuating with inattention; dementia is chronic and progressive
A memory aid for distinguishing delirium from dementia.
A palpable gallbladder with painless jaundice is unlikely to be due to stones
A memory aid for the significance of a palpable gallbladder in jaundice.
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation
Emergency chest compressions and rescue measures used in cardiac arrest.
Some Say Marry Money But My Brother Says Big Brains Matter More
A mnemonic for the twelve cranial nerves and whether each is sensory or motor.
Gag reflex afferent, posterior tongue taste and palatal sensation
A memory aid for testing the glossopharyngeal nerve.
Each reflex pairs a sensory nerve with a motor nerve
A memory aid for the afferent and efferent limbs of the main cranial nerve reflexes.
Three divisions tested separately, plus the corneal reflex
A memory aid for testing trigeminal sensation and the corneal reflex.
Whisper test, tuning forks, then the vestibular tests
A memory aid for testing hearing and vestibular function.
Eye movements, pupils, lids and diplopia together
A memory aid for testing the ocular motor nerves at the bedside.
Cullen's is periumbilical bruising; Grey Turner's is flank bruising
A mnemonic for the two bruising signs of retroperitoneal haemorrhage.
Clinical signs graded against percentage body weight loss
A memory aid for grading dehydration in a child.
Onset, course, attention and consciousness separate them
A memory aid for distinguishing delirium from dementia at the bedside.
SIGECAPS: Sleep, Interest, Guilt, Energy, Concentration, Appetite, Psychomotor, Suicide
A mnemonic for the symptoms of depression.
Site, size, shape, surface, edge, consistency, mobility and more
A memory aid for the features to describe in any lump or swelling.
Site, distribution, morphology, colour, border, surface and secondary change
A memory aid for the vocabulary and structure of a dermatological description.
Base, edge, depth, discharge, site and the surrounding skin
A memory aid for describing an ulcer and inferring its cause.
Barlow dislocates, Ortolani relocates
A memory aid for the Ortolani and Barlow tests and the risk factors.
Skin, deformity, neuropathy and circulation
A memory aid for the annual diabetic foot check.
Inspect, then palpate the canal, rectum and prostate
A memory aid for performing and interpreting a rectal examination.
You can get above a kidney and ballotte it; you cannot with a spleen
A memory aid for telling an enlarged left kidney from an enlarged spleen.
Prescribed, over the counter, herbal, recreational, and the allergy detail
A memory aid for taking a complete medication history.
Language, articulation and voice are separate problems
A memory aid for distinguishing the disorders of speech and language.
Otoscopy, then Rinne and Weber to classify hearing loss
A memory aid for otoscopy and the tuning fork tests.
The patient, the bedside and the surroundings
A memory aid for the clues visible before touching the patient.
SPIKES: Setting, Perception, Invitation, Knowledge, Emotions, Strategy
A mnemonic for a structured approach to difficult conversations.
Acuity, fields, pupils, movements, then the fundus
A memory aid for the order of an ophthalmic examination.
Forehead sparing separates the two
A memory aid for distinguishing an upper from a lower motor neurone facial palsy.
What happened, why, and what damage was done
A memory aid for the multifactorial assessment of a patient who has fallen.
Inguinal is above and medial to the pubic tubercle; femoral is below and lateral
A mnemonic for distinguishing femoral from inguinal hernias at the bedside.
History, observations, examination and charts together
A memory aid for assessing whether a patient is dry or overloaded.
Each gait points to a specific level of the nervous system
A memory aid for recognising the classic pathological gaits.
Gait, Arms, Legs, Spine
A mnemonic for the rapid musculoskeletal screening examination.
Glasgow Coma Scale
A clinical scale used to assess level of consciousness.
Eyes out of 4, Verbal out of 5, Motor out of 6
A memory aid for the components and scoring of the GCS.
Look, feel, move and function, with characteristic deformity patterns
A memory aid for examining the rheumatological hand.
S1 atrioventricular valves close, S2 semilunar valves close, S3 rapid filling, S4 atrial contraction
A memory aid for what produces each of the four heart sounds.
Examine standing and lying, with a cough impulse and reducibility
A memory aid for examining a groin or abdominal hernia.
Look, feel, move, with the Trendelenburg and Thomas tests
A memory aid for examining the hip, including Trendelenburg and Thomas tests.
Heart rate
The number of heart beats per minute.
Jaundice, Anaemia, Clubbing, Cyanosis, Oedema, Lymphadenopathy
A clinical examination mnemonic for key systemic signs.
Sclera, conjunctiva, tongue and fingers
A memory aid for where and how to look for the colour signs.
Look, feel, move, then special tests and function
A mnemonic for examining any individual joint.
Jugular venous pressure
A clinical sign used to estimate right atrial pressure.
a, c and v waves with x and y descents
A memory aid for the waves and descents of the jugular venous pulse.
Look, feel, move, then ligament and meniscal tests
A memory aid for the sequence of a knee examination.
Phase 1 gives systolic pressure and phase 5 gives diastolic
A memory aid for the five phases of the Korotkoff sounds.
Upper border at the fifth intercostal space, lower border at the right costal margin
A memory aid for percussing the liver and defining hepatomegaly.
Site, size, consistency, tenderness, fixation and the drainage area
A memory aid for examining lymph nodes and interpreting lymphadenopathy.
Two-thirds of the way along a line from the umbilicus to the right anterior superior iliac spine
A memory aid for the surface marking of the base of the appendix.
Pushed away by extra volume, pulled towards by lost volume
A mnemonic for which way the mediastinum moves in thoracic disease.
Appearance, behaviour, speech, mood, thought, perception, cognition, insight
A mnemonic for the components of the mental state examination.
ASEPTIC: Appearance, Speech, Emotion, Perception, Thought, Insight, Cognition
A mnemonic for the components of the mental state examination.
Lips, mucosa, tongue, teeth, palate and tonsils, with a good light
A memory aid for examining the oral cavity and oropharynx.
SCRIPT: Site, Character, Radiation, Intensity, Pitch, Timing
A mnemonic for describing a heart murmur completely.
Systolic murmurs come from stenotic outflow or leaking inflow valves, and diastolic murmurs the reverse
A mnemonic for the causes of systolic and diastolic murmurs.
Arrest of inspiration on palpating the right upper quadrant, from an inflamed gallbladder meeting the examining hand
A memory aid for the anatomical basis of Murphy's sign.
Clubbing, koilonychia, leuconychia, splinter haemorrhages and pitting
A memory aid for the diagnostic signs found in the nails.
Position, movement and age narrow the differential rapidly
A memory aid for the differential diagnosis of a neck lump.
The six Ps: pain, pallor, pulselessness, perishing cold, paraesthesia, paralysis
A mnemonic for assessing the acutely ischaemic or injured limb.
A head to toe screen performed within 72 hours of birth
A memory aid for the routine newborn examination.
Six physiological parameters plus supplemental oxygen
A memory aid for the parameters of the national early warning score.
Peripheral nystagmus is unidirectional and fatigable; central nystagmus is not
A memory aid for classifying nystagmus.
Fundal height, lie, presentation, engagement and fetal heart
A memory aid for examining the pregnant abdomen.
Occupation, travel, animals, hobbies and contacts
A memory aid for the exposures that change a differential diagnosis.
Onset, Provocation/Palliation, Quality, Region/Radiation, Severity, Time
A pain assessment mnemonic.
From nasal cannulae to non-rebreathe and Venturi masks
A memory aid for the oxygen delivery devices and the concentrations they give.
Gross motor, fine motor and vision, hearing and speech, social
A memory aid for the four domains and key developmental milestones.
Birth, development, feeding, immunisation and social history
A memory aid for the additional elements of a paediatric history.
Bradykinesia plus rigidity, tremor or postural instability
A memory aid for examining a patient with suspected Parkinson's disease.
Resonant, dull, stony dull and hyperresonant
A memory aid for what each chest percussion note means.
Inspect, feel the pulses, then Buerger's test and the pressure index
A memory aid for examining the arterial supply to the legs.
Inspection, tone, power, reflexes, coordination, sensation, gait
A memory aid for the order of a limb neurological examination.
Janeway lesions, Osler nodes, Roth spots, splinter haemorrhages and clubbing
A mnemonic for the peripheral stigmata of endocarditis.
Signs of hyperoestrogenism, portal hypertension and failed synthesis
A memory aid for the peripheral signs of liver disease.
Four categories, plus unstageable and deep tissue injury
A memory aid for grading and preventing pressure ulcers.
Slow rising in aortic stenosis, collapsing in aortic regurgitation
A memory aid for the abnormal arterial pulse waveforms.
Find the source, then the severity, then the risk factors
A memory aid for the assessment of a patient with a fever.
Counting 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 from the ankle upwards
A mnemonic for the spinal root values of the deep tendon reflexes.
Hands, face, neck, then chest front and back with the same four steps
A memory aid for the order of a respiratory examination.
Pressure in the left iliac fossa produces pain in the right iliac fossa
A memory aid for the mechanism of Rovsing's sign in appendicitis.
Respiratory rate
The number of breaths per minute.
Systolic blood pressure
The arterial pressure during ventricular contraction.
Can you get above it, is it separate from the testis, does it transilluminate
A memory aid for examining a scrotal swelling.
Life-threatening organ dysfunction from a dysregulated response to infection
A memory aid for recognising and treating sepsis.
Inadequate tissue perfusion, recognised before hypotension appears
A memory aid for recognising and classifying shock clinically.
Impingement and cuff tests at the shoulder; ligament and meniscal tests at the knee
A memory aid for the named special tests of the shoulder and knee.
Look, feel, move actively then passively, then the rotator cuff tests
A memory aid for the sequence of a shoulder examination.
Sleep, Interest, Guilt, Energy, Concentration, Appetite, Psychomotor changes, Suicidal ideation
A mnemonic for depressive symptoms.
Rate, accessory muscles, recession, position and the ability to speak
A memory aid for recognising increased work of breathing.
Subjective, Objective, Assessment, Plan
A structured clinical documentation mnemonic.
Site, Onset, Character, Radiation, Associations, Time course, Exacerbating factors, Severity
A mnemonic for taking a complete pain history.
Inspection, movement, palpation and the neurological screen
A memory aid for examining the cervical, thoracic and lumbar spine.
Enlarges downwards and medially, towards the right iliac fossa
A memory aid for the direction in which an enlarging spleen is felt.
Normal splitting widens on inspiration; wide, fixed and reversed splitting are abnormal
A memory aid for the patterns of S2 splitting and their causes.
Peripheral oxygen saturation
An estimate of haemoglobin oxygen saturation measured by pulse oximetry.
Presenting complaint, history, past history, drugs, allergies, family, social, systems review
A memory aid for the structure of a full medical history.
Before, during and after the act, plus static and dynamic risk factors
A memory aid for assessing suicide risk after self-harm.
A brief screen of each body system to catch what the history has missed
A memory aid for the screening questions in a systems enquiry.
The paediatric assessment triangle: appearance, breathing, circulation
A memory aid for the rapid assessment of an unwell child.
T4 at the nipple, T6 at the xiphoid, T10 at the umbilicus, L1 at the groin
A mnemonic for the key dermatome levels on the trunk.
Inspect, swallow, protrude tongue, palpate from behind, then assess function
A memory aid for examining the thyroid gland.
Examine the gland, then the status, then the complications
A memory aid for assessing whether a patient is hyperthyroid or hypothyroid.
Temporomandibular joint
The joint between the temporal bone and mandible.
Anticholinergic, cholinergic, sympathomimetic, opioid and sedative patterns
A memory aid for the classic poisoning syndromes.
Pushed away by pneumothorax and effusion; pulled towards by collapse and fibrosis
A memory aid for the causes of tracheal deviation and their direction.
Upper gives spasticity and brisk reflexes; lower gives wasting and absent reflexes
A memory aid for distinguishing upper from lower motor neurone signs.
Examine standing, then locate the site of reflux
A memory aid for examining varicose veins and locating the incompetence.
Lesion site determines the pattern, from monocular loss to homonymous hemianopia
A memory aid for localising lesions in the visual pathway.