Book Description:
Hearing the patient’s story, asking the right questions, and doing a careful, thorough and informed physical examination are intrinsic to good medicine. It is easy to rely and become dependent on technology to diagnose and to treat our patients. Yet, no machine will ever be a match for a listening ear and the laying on of hands. These skills are core to the art of medicine and require practice. It is only by becoming familiar with the norm that we can appreciate the norm. This book is a clinical skills textbook with a third dimension – the human factor. We read about real people, real symptoms and real diagnostic problems. It doesn’t waste time on rare physical signs that will never be encountered but instead, focuses on common, important clinical skills and symptom patterns. (Imprint: Nova Biomedical)

Table of Contents:
Preface pp. i-viii

Introduction
(Siun O’Flynn)

Chapter 1. The Consultation, pp. 1-2
(Joe Moran)

Chapter 2. Persistent Cough, pp. 3-8
(Marcus P. Kennedy)

Chapter 3. Murmurs, Heart Sounds and More, pp. 9-18
(David Kerins and Carl Vaughan)

Chapter 4. Diarrhoea: A Common Symptom, pp. 19-36
(Eamonn M. Quigley)

Chapter 5. Neurological Examination, pp. 37-50
(Patricia M. Fitzgerald)

Chapter 6. Petechiae and Purpura, pp. 51-60
(Mary R. Cahill)

Chapter 7. Meningococcal Septicaemia in Children, pp. 61-72
(Jackelina Pando-Kelly, Deirdre Murray)

Chapter 8. Neonatal Jaundice and the Newborn Screening Examination, pp. 73-86
(Tony Ryan)

Chapter 9. Examining the Abdomen, pp. 87-94
(David Power and Mark Corrigan)

Chapter 10. The Diabetic Foot: Pearls, Pitfalls and Tips for the OSCE, pp. 95-104
(Antoinette Tuthill)

Chapter 11. Shock and Collapse in the Emergency Department, pp. 105-110
(Stephen Cusack)

Chapter 12. D is for Dyspnoea, pp. 111-120
(John Hinchion)

Chapter 13. Infectious Diseases: A Broad Differential, pp. 121-130
(Mary Horgan, Sarah O’Connell, Sarah Moran)

Chapter 14. Chronic Kidney Disease Uncovered, pp. 131-136
(Liam Plant)

Chapter 15. The Older Patient, pp. 137-150
(Denis O’Mahony)

Chapter 16. Introduction to Skin Examination, pp. 151-158
(Benvon Moran and John Bourke)

Chapter 17. Syncope: Reassure or Refer?, pp. 159-164
(Finnoula Quigley)

Chapter 18. Safe for Surgery: Pre-operative Assessment for Anaesthesia and Surgery, pp. 165-174
(Brian O’Donnell)

Chapter 19. The Psychiatric Interview and Mental State Examination, pp. 175-200
(Aisling Campbell)

Chapter 20. Ophthalmology for Medical Students, pp. 201-222
(Sinead Byrne)

Chapter 21. Common Things are Common. Otitis Media, pp. 223-230
(Gerard O’Leary Brendan Fennessy)

Index, pp. 231-246