Please reply to the following discussion with at least one reference Participate in the discussion

  Please reply to the following discussion with at least one reference. Participate in the discussion by asking a question, providing a statement of clarification, providing a point of view with a rationale, challenging an aspect of the discussion, or indicating a relationship between two or more lines of reasoning in the discussion. Cite resources in your responses to other classmates. 

Discussion

Pelvic Screening Test, Education, and Counseling

Janice, 21 years old, introduces herself to a nurse practitioner for a check-up. It is noted that Janice is sexually active, and her boyfriend uses condoms when having sex, but Janice has never had a pelvic exam before.

Screening Tests

Janice is an asymptomatic patient, and the nurse practitioner should do a pelvic screening examination to check for specific symptoms. The tests include:

Physical exam; the nurse practitioner will palpate Janice’s abdomen and pelvis to examine her uterus and ovaries to check their size and shape and if there are any tender areas or unusual growths and other irregularities. External visual exam; the nurse practitioner will look for Janice’s vulva to check for redness, irritation, swelling, sores, and other abnormalities. Internal visual exam; speculum will be used next by the nurse practitioner to spread open Janice’s vaginal walls to check any symptoms in her cervix and vagina (Mealey et al., 2019). Pap test; the test will be done to screen for cervical cancer; here, the nurse practitioner will collect a sample from Janice’s cervical cell to perform this test (Mealey et al., 2019). 

Education and Counseling

The nurse practitioner will educate Janice on the methods of preventing sexually transmitted infections and pelvic inflammatory diseases (de Andrade et al., 2018). Additionally, the nurse practitioner will counsel Janice to continue practicing healthy sex practices by maintaining one partner and making sure her boyfriend uses condoms whenever they have sex (de Andrade et al., 2018). Furthermore, the nurse practitioner should inquire how often Janice does sex and if frequently, she/he should advise Janice to have a regular pelvic screening schedule (de Andrade et al., 2018). Also, if Janice has any infection, the nurse practitioner will educate her on how to get treatment.

References

de Andrade, R. L., Bø, K., Antonio, F. I., Driusso, P., Mateus-Vasconcelos, E. C. L., Ramos, S., … & Ferreira, C. H. J. (2018). An education program about pelvic floor muscles improved women’s knowledge but not pelvic floor muscle function, urinary incontinence or sexual function: a randomised trial. Journal of physiotherapy, 64(2), 91-96.

Mealey, K., Braverman, P. K., & Koenigs, L. M. (2019). Why a pelvic exam is needed to diagnose cervicitis and pelvic inflammatory disease. Annals of emergency medicine, 73(4), 424-425.