STEP 07
Age: 42
General Practitioner
The Role: General Practitioner (GP)
GPs are often the first doctor people see. They diagnose and treat illnesses, manage ongoing health conditions, and refer patients to specialists when needed.
Information:
After an organ transplant a patient's GP has an extra job: watching closely for early warning signs that the new organ isn't settling in well.
Three things can look similar on the surface but need very different responses:
Possibility
What causes it
Key symptoms to look for
Infection
Immunosuppressant medication weakens the immune system, making infections more likely and more serious
• Fever
• Chills
• Sore throat
• General unwellness
• No organ-specific sign
Organ rejection
The immune system recognises the new organ as foreign and starts attacking it
• General fatigue
• Low-grade fever
• Plus one organ-specific sign, such as:
Reduced urine output (kidney)
Breathlessness (lung)
Swelling (heart)
Yellowing skin (liver)
Medication side effect
A normal, expected reaction to one of the patient's regular medications
• Tremor
• Nausea
• Upset stomach
• No fever or general unwellness
Group Task: General Practitioner
First, we'll work through a patient case together. Listen carefully to the patient's symptoms and refer to the table above to see about what could be causing them.
First let's listen to the recording together
Your Task 01: General Practitioner
Open your folder and locate 07 GP
Now it’s your turn.
Open your final envelope. You need to prescribe your patient the best medication for their condition. You need to take into account their current medications and allergies.
Listen to the audio
Your Task 02: General Practitioner
Final step