Scenarios

Below is a list of our standard scenarios and some examples of user-submitted scenarios, the full versions of which  that can be downloaded by those registered in the ALERT Administration system .

If you have any scenarios that you would like to share with the ALERT community, please use the ALERT_Scenario_template NOV 2009. We can then add them to our user–submitted scenario library.

Scenario A

It is 1930 hours – you are summoned from another ward to see a patient of another team. A 43 year old patient (who is recovering from right inguinal hernia repairs 2 days previously) is found on the floor of the day room. He (she) was due to be discharged tomorrow. The nurse says that he (she) had vomited his supper (he said it tasted foul) and had gone to sit in the day room. The nurse found him “blue and unresponsive”.

Scenario B

Patient is in bed and appears drowsy (remember only 4 hours post-sedation). He (she) is jaundiced, breathless, blue and sweaty. The patient is shivering violently, says he (she) is cold and asking to be covered up. The patient is talking in gasps. Responds to verbal stimuli but “rambles” intermittently.

Scenario C

It is 0430 hours. As the doctor on call, you are called to see a 74 year old chronic bronchitic admitted with a chest infection following influenza. The nurse says that the patient has been tachypneic, but is now unresponsive, sweaty and blue. BP is unrecordable.

Scenario D

It is 0400 hours – you are the doctor on call. You are called to see a 77 year old patient who was admitted 30 minutes earlier with a history of vomiting blood. Following admission, the patient “collapses” suddenly in bed. You are called by a nurse who informs you that the patient is pale, sweaty and very drowsy. She cannot obtain a BP.

User Submitted Scenario – Patient with disordered consciousness

It is 1830, you’re the F2 on the ward and the staff nurse calls you over to see Bob, a 67 year old man who is 5 days post elective repair of aortic aneurysm.

He is in severe pain after coming back from the toilet. As you get there Bob suddenly collapses and becomes clammy, pale and unresponsive.

User Submitted Scenario – Patient with Sepsis

It is 0200hrs; you are the house officer on call and have been bleeped to see a 58 year old man who underwent a total colectomy 10 days ago.
The patient is mildly confused and complaining of feeling hot.

The nurse tells you that the patient ‘doesn’t look right.’