Debrief - Diarrhoea and Vomiting
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Patients who present with diarrhoea and vomiting. Although diarrhoea and vomiting is a fairly common condition, the longer diarrhoea and vomiting has been occurring, the higher the risk of dehydration and we are taking into consideration the age of the patient as well. One way we can quickly test for dehydration is lifting up the skin, as seen in the triage video. If the skin tents and then does not return to the normal form with the forearm and remains in a tented position, this can indicate dehydration. Another way of checking for dehydration is checking mucous membranes, so have a look inside the patient's mouth and get them to stick their tongue out so you can assess the hydration of their mucous membranes.