A woman with an unusually fishy-smelling or bloody vaginal discharge, who has never undergone a mammography or a test pap, should have a complete history. This will help to rule out the possibility of other diseases and identify any potential risks. The first thing I’d do is examine the color of your discharge. A bleeding-like appearance could be a sign of cervical cancer. Early detection with a mammogram may help. Then, I would ask the patient about other factors that could increase your risk of developing cervical cancer. The patient’s sexual history would be next. The first priority in patient care is to determine the source of symptoms, and then initiate effective treatment (Bothe 2014). A urinalysis would be the first test I order to determine if the patient has an infection in the upper or lower urinary tract.
To rule out the possibility of bacterial infections, I recommend a culture of your vaginal fluid. To determine whether there’s a bacterial problem, I recommend that you have a complete blood exam. The case study also includes a full blood test to determine if the patient has a bacterial infection. Most likely, the patient has bacterial vaginosis. Metronidazole 400mg is an ideal treatment. It should be taken orally for three days, every day, for five days.
Peer Response
An STD test is a priority and I concur with what the author said. The test should be done after the patient has disclosed any recent sexual activity. A second recommendation I make is that the patient has a pregnancy test. However, this will be dependent on the presence of other signs such as recent unprotected sexual activity and prolonged periods without menstruation. If the patient is over 40, a CBC or HIV test will be necessary for treatment. An upper reproductive ultrasound could also be done to check for infections, including pelvic inflammatory diseases. The comments about a urine culture being performed should also be supported. It is essential to recognize the possibility of sexually transmitted infections such as Chlamydia and gonorrhea.