Final answer:
The first action in evaluating a 22-year-old college student with abdominal pain should be to ask her to describe the pain and inquire about other complaints. This initial step provides essential information for diagnosis, preceding physical examination and potential diagnostic procedures.
Step-by-step explanation:
Your patient is a 22-year-old college student complaining of abdominal pain. The first action you should take is to Ask the patient to describe the pain and find out if she has other complaints. This initial step helps in obtaining a thorough history, which is crucial for forming a differential diagnosis. Once you have more information about the nature and characteristics of the pain, such as onset, location, duration, and any associated symptoms, you can proceed with a more directed physical examination and potentially palpate the abdomen for tenderness and guarding, if appropriate.
Understanding the division of the abdominal cavity into abdominal regions and quadrants can aid in diagnosis, as certain conditions tend to present with pain in specific areas. For example, appendicitis often causes pain in the lower right quadrant. A comprehensive patient history can also lead to consideration of other conditions such as a urinary tract infection (UTI) or pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), which may present with additional symptoms. If the pain is acute and the history suggests a serious cause, further diagnostic procedures like an abdominal ultrasound might be necessary.
Therefore, starting with a thorough patient interview is imperative in guiding subsequent steps in the evaluation and management of a patient with abdominal pain.